I SAW THANK YOU FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS SHARON DURKIN CITY COUNCIL FOR DESERT. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. TODAY IS NOVEMBER 18TH. THE EXACT TIME IS 1012. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK OF BACKSLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT SIX LA AND AT BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY'VE SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER . IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON RON COBB AT RON SCOTT COBB AT BOSTON DARK OF AND FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 163 TO ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING LEGALIZING TRIPLE DECKERS AND OTHER 2 TO 4 UNIT HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS HENRY SANTANA. ME AND ERIC PEPEN AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER TEN, 2025 AND THE OTHER DOCKET IS DOCKET 1718. ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING LEGALIZING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS MATTER IS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS HENRY SANTANA, ME AND ENRIQUE PEPEN AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2025. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA WHO IS THE LEAD SPONSOR OF THESE TWO DOCKETS COUNCIL PRESIDENT RESOLUTION AND COUNCILOR LUIS BRAEDEN. I DON'T SEE ANY LETTERS OF ABSENCE BUT IF I SEE ANY I WILL READ THOSE INTO THE RECORD. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I FIRST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR INTRODUCING THESE DOCKETS AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A CO-SPONSOR. I AM HONORED TO CHAIR THIS HEARING THIS MORNING. IF YOU HAVE ANY RESIDENTS OR IF YOU ASK ANY RESIDENTS OR ANY COUNCILOR HERE WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CRISIS FACING BOSTON TODAY? THEIR ANSWER MAY BE HOUSING. THIS YEAR'S GREATER BOSTON HOUSING REPORT CARD WAS JUST RELEASED AND THE DATA IS CLEAR. WE HAVE ONE OF THE TIGHTEST RENTAL MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY AND ONE OF THE MOST SIX BUT WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO LIVE IN. WHILE NEW HOUSING PRODUCTION IS SLOWING DOWN, PRICES ARE PUSHING UP FOR RENTERS AND POTENTIAL HOMEOWNERS. THIS CHALLENGE STEMS FROM THE COMPLEXITY OF OUR ZONING CODE WHICH IS FAR LONGER, MORE RESTRICTIVE, MORE INEFFICIENT THAN THOSE OF COMPARABLE CITIES. AS A RESULT IT SLOWS DOWN DEVELOPMENT AND CREATES UNNECESSARY BARRIERS TO PRODUCING MUCH NEEDED HOUSING. LEGALIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRIPLE DECKERS OTHER 2 TO 4 UNIT HOMES AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AS OF RIGHT IN BOSTON WOULD BRING ZONING PRACTICES CLOSER TO REALITIES RESIDENTS FACE TODAY. AS OUR SENATE PRESIDENT RECENTLY NOTED WHEN DISCUSSING HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO HOUSING PRODUCTION, WE MUST BE BOLD AND KEEP NOTHING OFF THE TABLE. ONE OF THESE PROPOSALS IS TO LEGALIZE A KEY COMPONENT OF THE FABRIC EVEN THOUGH TRIPLE DECKERS ARE A DEFINING PART OF BOSTON'S HOUSING STOCK AND SERVE AS WELL-DESIGNED MULTIFAMILY HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS I REPRESENT LIKE MISSION HEALTH. BUILDING THESE STRUCTURES IS ILLEGAL ON THE LARGE PART OF BOSTON'S LAND. LEGALIZING 2 TO 4 UNIT HOMES IS COMMON SENSE AND WE SHOULD BE ASKING WHERE WE CAN ALLOW MORE DENSITY ESPECIALLY NEAR TRANSIT TO CREATE A MORE AFFORDABLE AND LIVABLE CITY. 80 USE OFFER SMALLER MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR RESIDENTS AND THERE ARE LEGAL BUY RIGHT IN EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY IN MASSACHUSETTS. IF THE REST OF THE STATE CAN DO THIS, WHY NOT BOSTON? WE HAVE LONG ADVOCATED FOR THOUGHTFUL, MEANINGFUL ZONING REFORM TO IMPROVE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY. BUT THE SCALE OF OUR HOUSING CRISIS DEMANDS THAT WE EXAMINE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE ESPECIALLY TOOLS THAT WE KNOW WORK AND THAT HAVE SHAPED THE IMAGE OF OUR CITY. I WANT TO THANK THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR WORK AND PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU THIS MORNING. THANK YOU AS WELL TO COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND EXPERTS FOR JOINING US WHO WILL BE JOINING US AT THE SECOND PANEL. I LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING THE DATA. HEARING FROM OUR PANELISTS AND HAVING A THOUGHTFUL AND ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN MODERNIZE OUR ZONING CODE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS BETTER AND SERVE BOSTON'S FUTURE. THANK YOU. I WANT TO GIVE THIS TO THE LEAD SPONSOR AND SO FOR EACH OF OUR WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR EARL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT. BUT FIRST I'LL GIVE THE LEAD SPONSOR OF THESE TWO JACKETS COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA A MINUTE AND A HALF TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU CHAD DURKAN AND THANK YOU FOR FOR SHARING THIS AND THEN FOR JOINING AS A LEAD SPONSOR. BOSTONIANS HAVE CONSISTENTLY RANKED HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AS ONE OF THEIR TOP POLICY CONCERNS AND FOR GOOD REASON. HOUSING COSTS ARE WELL OVER DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. TO ADDRESS THIS PRESSING ISSUE WE NEED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCLUDING BOTH 80 YOUTHS AND TRIPLE DECKERS. ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS OR A TO USE ARE A FORM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ADDRESSES SPECIFIC COMMUNITY NEEDS WHETHER OR NOT TO BUY RIGHT NOT YET BUY RIGHT ACROSS BOSTON BUT SIMPLY USE ARE SMALL HOMES BUILT INSIDE OR ALONGSIDE A MAIN HOME. THEY DRESS SPECIFIC COMMUNITY NEEDS BY ALLOWING FOR INTERGENERATIONAL LIVING AT HOME CARE OF LOVED ONES DOWNSIZING OR RENTING. DESPITE THEIR POPULARITY A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN CITY AND STATE ZONING MAKES BOSTON EXEMPT FROM LAST YEAR'S STATEWIDE EU LAW MAKING US THE ONLY CITY IN MASSACHUSETTS WHERE INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO BUILD IN 80 YOU BUY RIGHT? RESIDENTS ARE SUBJECT TO ZONING CODE RESTRICTIONS THAT MAKE THEIR CONSTRUCTION COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE. CURRENTLY ONLY ONE BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HAS MADE 80 NEW CONSTRUCTION BY RIGHT WHICH IS MATTAPAN. DESPITE WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR ADOPTING PRO AT EU POLICIES CITYWIDE IT'S TIME WE MAKE 80 USE BY RIGHT AND ALLOW FOR THIS FORM OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT WOULDN'T BE A DISCUSSION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHOUT DISCUSSING OWNERSHIP. ONE AFFORDABLE METHOD FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP IN BOSTON IS THE ICONIC TRIPLE DECKERS. THESE MULTIFAMILY HOMES ARE ESPECIALLY POPULAR AMONG OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND FAMILIES WHO NEED TO POOL RESOURCES TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS. CURRENTLY BOSTON HAS OVER 15,000 TRIPLE DECKER HOMES WHICH HOUSES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES. THESE HOMES ALLOW FOR LONG TERM ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CITY'S FABRIC. BUT UNFORTUNATELY CURRENT ZONING CURRENT ZONING CODES ARE PUSHING THEM TOWARDS BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST. DESPITE THE ZONING CODE OPPOSING BARRIERS TO BUILDING BOTH 80 USE AND TRIPLE DECKERS. BOSTON NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING MORE THAN EVER. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM TODAY'S PANELISTS ABOUT TRIPLE DECKERS AND 80 USE THEMSELVES AND HOW WE AS A CITY CAN REMOVE BARRIERS TO THEIR CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA. NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE SPONSOR OF THE OTHER DOCKETS, COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PEPEN. YOU HAVE A MINUTE AND A HALF. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. TAKE IT TO THE PALACE FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCATES FOR BEING HERE TOO FOR ALL THE WORK EVERYONE'S DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS TOPIC IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS SOMEONE THAT BELIEVES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAKING IT EASIER TO ALSO BUILD MORE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE TRIPLE DECKERS ARE THE EPITOME OF WHAT HOUSING LOOKS LIKE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WHETHER YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN WASHINGTON STREET HIGH PARK OUT OF BLUE HOLE OF DORCHESTER AVE OR ANYWHERE IN AND AROUND THOSE AREAS. AND WHAT'S BEAUTIFUL IS THAT THEY'RE USUALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES ACROSS BOSTON, ALSO OF MULTICULTURAL FAMILIES ACROSS BOSTON BY DOING SOME HISTORY AND RESEARCH AND LOOKING AT HOW WE'VE GOT INTO THIS PLACE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVE HISTORY BEHIND HOW TRIPLE DECKERS USED TO BE. AS OF RIGHT NOW THEY'RE NOT AND WE ALL KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED. TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR JUST PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE MY FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE ONE OF THEM OR CONTINUE TO BUILD THEM AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THIS IS WHY I BECAME A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ON THIS DOCKET SO THAT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT NEXT GENERATION OF FAMILIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OWN A HOME OR CALL BOSTON HOME OR EVEN FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS THEY CAN DO SO KNOWING THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE SO DIFFICULT. AND I'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH A REZONING PROCESS IN MY OWN DISTRICT WHICH TOOK SOME TIME BUT WE GOT IT THROUGH AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ALSO MAKE THIS A REALITY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF BOSTON SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR PIPPEN. NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD. I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND COMMONWEALTH AND NOW IN OUR COUNTRY ARE RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS AND NEED TO BE DOING THE WORK OF BUILDING MORE HOUSING AND SO THESE HEARINGS ARE VERY SMART AND IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. I SAW THIS WAS INTRODUCED I SAY IT NOW IS VERY PROUD TO SUPPORT PLAY IN MATTAPAN WHICH MADE 80 USE PERMISSIBLE BY RIGHT AND WE SEE WE ARE REAPING AND WE ARE SEEING THE GOOD THINGS THAT STEM FROM THAT IN MATTAPAN AND NEIGHBORHOOD. THE HIGH RATE OF BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP BUT ALSO WITH THE HIGH RATE OF SENIORS WHO WANT TO AGE IN PLACE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND SO I THINK IT IS TIME THAT WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION FOR THE ENTIRE CITY TO SEE HOW WE CAN GET TO USE AS OF RIGHT IN THE CITY TO BRING MORE HOUSING ONLINE. WE ALSO KNOW THAT TO USE TEND TO BE WHAT IS SOMETIMES CALLED NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE WE TEND TO BE BELOW MARKET RATE HOUSING AGAIN IN BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO EXCITED FOR THAT CONVERSATION AND ALSO YOU KNOW, EXCITED FOR THE COMPETITION AROUND TRIPLE DECKERS. WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME PRESSURE OFF OF THE HOUSING MARKET AND BY BUILDING TRIPLE DECKERS WHICH HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN AS I THINK COUNTLESS S.A.T. DID IT JUST LIKE THE STORIES AT TRIPLE DECKERS CAN TELL. ALSO TELL US A WAVE OF VERY GOOD STORIES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND SO I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR LIZ BREADON GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU MADAM MADAM CHAIR AND TO THE LEAD SPONSORS OF THESE TWO DOCKETS YES WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS WE DON'T NEED TO SAY THAT IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE EVERY ANY AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD MORE HOUSING THAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. WE HEAR THAT THE THE LUXURY HOUSING WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. WE HAVE SUPPORTS AND SUBSIDIES FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING THAT WE CAN GET. BUT THE THE MISSING IN THE MIDDLE GAP IS IS THE SPACE THAT WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE MORE HOUSING FOR WORKING FAMILIES, CITY WORKERS AND FOLKS WHO JUST WANT TO MAKE BOSTON THEIR HOME . THEY'RE NOT THE EARNING BIG BUCKS AND THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUBSIDIES BUT WE NEED TO REALLY ADDRESS THE HOUSING NEED FOR THAT PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL. YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE THERE IS A SPACE AND PLACE FOR WELL-REGULATED ROOMING HOUSES. I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY ARCHAIC CONCEPT BUT AN SRO SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCIES ADA'S TRIPLE DECKERS I THINK COMES THROUGH PIPPIN WAS ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S A THERE'S A NEGATIVE HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LACK OF WHEN WHEN TRIPLE DECKERS BECAME ON ILLEGAL TO BE BUILDING IN BOSTON IT WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO AN ANTI-IMMIGRANT SENTIMENT THAT WAS WAS DESIGNED TO TRY AND CURTAIL THE EXPANSION OF IMMIGRANTS INTO NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE TRIPLE DECKERS WERE A VERY IDEAL FAMILY HOUSING FOR INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILIES AND WE'RE STILL IN THAT MOMENT. INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILIES NEED HOUSING AND I THINK A TRIPLE DECKERS ARE WONDERFUL SOLUTIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR BREADON. COUNCILOR FLYNN THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. I'M INTERESTED IN THIS CONVERSATION LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY FROM THE PANELISTS AND WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR FOR THEIR WORK. I ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AT SOME POINT HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE LIVING IN BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AS WELL. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT THEY ARE ALSO RESPECTED INCLUDED IN ENSURING THAT WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE ON THIS PROPOSAL OR HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPACT AND SUPPORT RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING VHA I REPRESENT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND MANY OF THEM ARE STRUGGLING ALL THE BUILDING. SO I WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THIS BENEFITS PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS WHETHER IT'S IN MY DISTRICT OR ANYWHERE ELSE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANKS FOR YOUR AMAZING ATTENDANCE AND MY COMMITTEE AS WELL. SO COUNCILOR BRIAN MORROW THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR INTRODUCING THIS ALSO THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON BUILDING HOUSING HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I AM A PRO-GROWTH PRO-PEOPLE ADVOCATE. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS BUT I'M ALSO A BIG HOMEOWNERSHIP ADVOCATE JUST KNOWING THAT THE NUMBERS ARE VERY SKEWED THE OTHER WAY BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE ON THE TABLE TO SOLVE OUR HOUSING CRISIS. AND WHEN WE TAKE TALK ABOUT ADDUS WE'VE RUN INTO A FEW ISSUES WHERE THE ADU IN MATTAPAN HAS BEEN ZONED BUT THEN THEY COME UP AGAINST NEED AND VARIANCES FOR LIKE PARKING PARKING REQUIREMENTS. SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR ZONING CODE IS IN LINE THAT YOU KNOW WHEN WE DO LEGALIZE IT THAT IT'S YOU KNOW THEY CAN GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS BUT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. IT HELPS THOSE WHO HAVE HIGH COSTS OF HOUSING OR JUST HIGH LIVING COSTS. IT MAKES IT MORE SUSTAINABLE FOR THEM TO LIVE HERE IN BOSTON. SO JUST LOOKING FOR THIS CONVERSATION AND EXPLORING THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR EARL COUNCILOR JULIAN HERE. THANK YOU CHAIR AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE. FRIENDS ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH A HOUSING STABILITY IS LIKE A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY CONSIDERING EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING HERE ACROSS THE CITY. I AM REALLY EXCITED TO DIVE INTO THE TRIPLE DECKER CONVERSATION HAVING GROWN UP HOUSING AND SECURE I GREW UP IN A TRIPLE DECKER AND THAT TRIPLE DECKER WE LIVED WITH MULTIPLE FAMILIES SO WE WERE ABLE TO ALL FIT IN ONE PLACE COMFORTABLY AND SO I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RACIAL REDLINING SITUATION HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY PREVENTED THAT FROM CONTINUING TO HAPPEN SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCILOR MORALE THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY'RE WINNING. AND SO IF WE CAN GET TRIPLE DECKERS SOLD AND OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND YOU KNOW, LOW INCOME FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN PRICED OUT OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DEFINITELY PATHWAYS WHERE I HOPE THAT EVERYONE COULD WIN AND THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT. AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE ADDUS I'M ALSO CURIOUS BECAUSE I GET THIS QUESTION A LOT FROM FOLKS WHO WHO ALREADY PUT TOGETHER A BASEMENT AND THEY'RE LIKE OH, I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD NOT YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO ADD A DOOR HERE AND THEN LEGALIZE IT. SO I'M CURIOUS IN TERMS OF FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY EMBARKED ON THAT JOURNEY AND HOW YOU COULD COST. CORRECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN HERE. AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD SO I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. NO, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT HOUSING LET'S FIGURE IT OUT RIGHT. TRIPLE DECKERS TO USE ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND ADVOCATING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS FOR THIS. THANK YOU. HE DIDN'T NEED TO SAY MUCH BECAUSE HE'S GOT A LOT OF TRIPLE DECKERS. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. THEY'RE NOT 3DS THOUGH. THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAID ALSO REFERRED TO AS 3DS. LET'S NOT TRY AND MAKE THAT A THING SO I'D LOVE TO GIVE THE PANEL AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEIR THEIR SLIDE DECK SO SO I'LL START WITH AND I'M WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY KATHLEEN OWNER FOR DEVON QUIRK AND WELCOME AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO I WE WORK TOGETHER EVERY DAY SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I'LL LET YOU GET TO YOUR PRESENTATION INTRODUCTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANKS TO THE COUNCIL FOR HAVING THIS HEARING ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC. I'M JUST WANT TO PASS IT OVER TO WILL AND KATHLEEN HERE IN A SECOND WHO HAVE BEEN THE CHAMPIONS OF REFORMING OUR ZONING CODE AND ADDRESSING EVERYTHING YOU ALL BROUGHT UP THE OPENING STATEMENT I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY ENTHUSIASM FOR THE EVERYTHING THAT WAS ALREADY BROUGHT UP. I THINK WE ALL AGREE HOUSING COSTS ARE A NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING OUR CITY AND THEN OUR ZONING CODE IS A TOOL THAT CAN HELP US ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM LIKE HOUSING, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, HOUSING SUPPLY . THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY PART OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND ADDRESSING HOUSING AFFORDABLE BUT AS YOU'LL SEE IN HBO'S PRESENTATION A MOMENT HERE 99% OF THE HOMES IN RESIDENTIAL ZONED DISTRICTS OF BOSTON IF THAT HOME DISAPPEARED TODAY, YOU COULD NOT REBUILD IT WITHOUT A VARIANCE. IT IS ENTIRELY OVERLEVERAGED, STRIPPED OF FORM OF OF ZONING AND WE I THINK WE FROM EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SAID IN YOUR OPENING, I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT WE WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT AND MOVE TO A MODEL WHERE IT ISN'T BURDENSOME FOR US TO CREATE NEW HOUSING BUT ALSO PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR THE HOMEOWNERS IN BOSTON FOR NOT MAKE IT BURDENSOME FOR THEM TO JUST MAKE SIMPLE IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR HOMES LIKE ADDING NATO SO THOSE TYPES OF COMMON SENSE REFORMS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO LEAD FORWARD WITH YOU YOU ALL AND I'M EXCITED TO TURN IT OVER TO WELL, WHO CAN WALK YOU THROUGH IT? THANK YOU, DEVIN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILORS. WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE PRESENTING THIS TO YOU. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. THIS HAS BEEN AN INITIATIVE THAT'S GONE THROUGH VARIOUS ITERATIONS AND WE ARE NOW HARD AT WORK AT TRYING TO WORK TOWARD A SOLUTION IN A PRAGMATIC WAY. AND SO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL MENTIONED THIS MORNING IN THE OPENING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PRIORITIES I SAY I WOULD SAY FAIRLY CLEARLY REPRESENT EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE AS OUR GOALS AND SO WE WOULD LOVE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS AS WE GET INTO ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION. AND DEVIN JUST MENTIONED IT BUT IT'S THIS GRAPH IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING WHICH WE WERE IT WAS SUGGESTED DURING A COMMUNITY MEETING A QUESTION OF HOW OUR ZONING GOT TO BE THE WAY IT IS AND I THINK WE HAD YOU KNOW, AN INTUITIVE SENSE AS THE POLICYMAKERS AND PRACTITIONERS AND YOU KNOW, STEWARDS FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH OF THE ZONING CODE THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF MISMATCH. BUT A VERY COMMON SENSE QUESTION FROM A RESIDENT WAS RIGHT BUT HOW HOW DID IT GET TO BE THIS WAY IF YOU ARE ALL ASSERTING SOMETHING ABOUT EXISTENCE OR YOU KNOW MISMATCH WITH THE ZONING CODE, WHY WHERE DID IT COME FROM AND SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AND SO WE DUG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND WE CAME UP WITH A GRAPH THAT I WOULD SAY WAS MORE ILLUMINATING THAN WE EXPECTED IT TO BE AND THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS THAT WHEN THE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT THESE RULES DIDN'T APPLY WHICH IS ACTUALLY A VERY SIMPLE TAKEAWAY BUT IT'S VERY CLEAR FROM THE INFORMATION. SO BEFORE 1924 THERE WAS NO ZONING NOT AS WE THINK OF IT AS A ZONING CODE. SO IN 1924 WHICH WENT TO EFFECT A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER THE FIRST ZONING CODE THE CITY OF BOSTON WENT INTO EFFECT. SO BEFORE THAT YOU COULD BUILD BUILDINGS AFTER THAT FROM 1924 INTO THE 1960S THERE WAS A A DIFFERENT A FIRST SET OF RULES ABOUT WHAT YOU COULD BUILD. AND THEN IN THE 1960S THERE BECAME A NEW ZONING CODE WHICH SORT OF IS THE BASE OF THE ZONING THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TODAY. THERE'S BEEN A PROCESS IN THE EIGHTIES, NINETIES AND 2000 MUCH LIKE A RADIO STATION OF ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE ZONING CODE THAT OVERLAY TRADITIONAL RULES NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SORT OF WHEN BUILDINGS WERE BUILT THIS IS JUST BASIC DATA FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR 60% OF THE SMALL SCALE BUILDINGS THOSE WHO TO SAY THINGS YOU KNOW IN THE SCALE OF 2 TO 6 REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THESE DOCKETS WERE BUILT BEFORE THERE WAS ANY KIND OF ZONING SO THE RULES DIDN'T APPLY SO THE RULES NEVER HAD TO LINE UP AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER 30% UP UNTIL 1967 THAT REALLY JUST HAD TO FOLLOW THAT FIRST ZONING CODE OF THE TWENTIES AND REALLY FROM THE SIXTIES ON ONCE THAT NEW ZONING CODE IT WENT TO EFFECTS NOT NECESSARILY PURELY CAUSATION AND CORRELATION BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY CORRELATION REALLY ONLY 10% OF WHAT WE SEE AT THAT SMALLER SCALE WENT INTO EFFECT AFTER THAT 1960S AND THEN REVISED NEIGHBORHOOD ZONING CODE. JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER WAY OF PUTTING THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT MANY OF YOU JUST MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS THERE ARE TRIPLE DECKERS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE THE CITY OF BOSTON AND REGARDLESS OF HOW, YOU KNOW, POPULAR UNDERSTANDING OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MAY BE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER AS POLICYMAKERS THAT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT JUST ONE TYPOLOGY OF HOUSING. AND SO WHETHER IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC TRIPLE DECKER OR BUILDINGS WITH DIFFERENT NUMBERS OF UNITS, THOSE EXIST IN A MULTIFACETED AND VERY COMPLEX WAY WHICH IS I THINK EXACTLY WHAT RELATES TO PEOPLE'S DESCRIPTIONS OF NEIGHBORHOODS AS HAVING A VERY DISTINCT BOSTONIAN AND YET NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC CHARACTER. AND SO AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW ZONING CAN REFLECT THAT, THAT PRINCIPLE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. JUST TO UNDERSCORE IT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THERE WAS A SPECIFIC RULE ABOUT THE TRIPLE DECKER BUT MORE OF A MULTIPLE THINGS THAT WENT TO EFFECT IN THE 1920S. THE LARGEST ONE OF THOSE WAS THE FIRST ZONING CODE AND WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK TO DETAIL THE ZONING MAPS BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER MANY FEWER THAN TODAY OF ZONING DISTRICTS THAT WERE PUT INTO PLACE IN THAT FOUR ZONING CODE. MANY OF WHICH WERE TO TAKE THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR MOST OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON AND CHANGE THEM TO BE TWO AND A HALF STOREYS IN HEIGHT WHICH IF YOU JUST DO THAT BASIC MATH THAT MAKES IT SO YOU CAN'T HAVE THE TRIPLE DECKER ANYMORE. THAT WAS THE BASELINE THAT WAS THEN REVISED DOWN IN THE 1960S AND THEN FURTHER REVISED DOWN IN THE 1980S AND BEYOND. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAPS OF THE 1920 ZONING CODE THAT'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE THE FUTURE THE 1920S IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT FROM SAY THE 2020S WHERE WE'RE LIVING TODAY BUT IT'S USEFUL AS WE THINK OF WHAT GOT US TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT TO PRESERVE AS WE WORK INTO THE FUTURE. SO I'D GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE YOU YOU WILL GET AT EXACTLY WHAT DEVIN WAS JUST MENTIONING WHICH IS AND WE'VE HAD A LONG SENSE FOR A WHILE THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME KIND OF MISMATCH BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIP OF ZONING AND WHAT'S ON THE GROUND. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE EVERY TIME SOMEONE GOES TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL TO GET A VARIANCE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT WE SEE EVERY TIME SOMEONE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE VIOLATIONS IN ZONING DO OR DON'T RELATE TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DO BUT IT HAD NEVER BEEN CRITICAL BEFORE THIS INITIATIVE TO ACTUALLY DO THE MATH SO TO SPEAK ON THAT. AND SO THROUGH A LOT OF WORK BEGINNING WITH WORK ON IDEAS GOING INTO THIS INITIATIVE WE HAVE TAKEN ALL THE PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THESE RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND DONE A SET OF ANALYSIS ON SOME OF THE RULES AND ZONING NOT ALL OF THEM THERE ARE DOZENS OF THEM MANY OF WHICH ARE VERY, VERY ARCANE BUT WE TOOK SORT OF THE BIG SIX IF YOU WILL. IT'S THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE ALLOWED ON ANY ONE GIVEN PROPERTY. IT'S THE MINIMUM SIZE OF LOT THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE. YOU KNOW, A ZONING DISTRICT WILL SAY IF IT'S A SOMETHING 6000 SQUARE FOOT DISTRICT THAT LOT NEEDS TO BE IT'S AT LEAST 6000 SQUARE FEET TO PUT ANYTHING ON IT AND WE DID THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT. WE'RE INSIDE OF A BUILDING RELATED TO ITS LOT AND ANOTHER THING CALLED FLOOR AREA RATIO WHICH IS BASICALLY THE AMOUNT OF BUILDING RELATIVE TO THE AMOUNT OF LAND ON ANY GIVEN LOT AND JUST LOOKING AT THOSE SIX THINGS, NOT LOOKING AT HEIGHT, NOT LOOKING AT PARKING REQUIREMENTS, EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN YELLOW ON THAT MAP IS MISMATCH AND AT LEAST ONE WAY WITH ONE WITH ONE OR MORE OF THOSE RULES AND IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAP IS ALMOST ENTIRELY YELLOW, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THERE'S A COUPLE OF PLACES WHERE THERE'S A COUPLE BLUE DOTS THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE NECESSARILY FOLLOW ALL THE RULES AND ZONING. THEY JUST DON'T NECESSARILY BREAK ANY OF THOSE SIX AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS THE PINK MAIN. OH BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. SO THOSE ARE OUR BUBBLES OF HOW THIS WORK RELATES TO THE WORK THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS DOING. AND SO LET'S START WITH THE PURPLE ACTUALLY. SO MATTAPAN AND EAST BOSTON HAVE BEEN ZONED THAT WAS THROUGH THE WORK OF PLANNED MATTAPAN AND PLANNING BOSTON WE HAVEN'T YET UPDATED OUR ANALYSIS TO REFLECT THOSE NEW ZONING DISTRICTS THAT IS SORT OF A A RETOOLING OF THAT ANALYTIC MACHINE SO TO SPEAK. BUT I CAN JUST SAY FROM OUR INITIAL ANALYSIS THAT THE AMOUNT OF MISMATCH WENT WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY DOWN AND IN FACT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT COUNCILOR ROBERT WORRELL WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE THERE'S A MISMATCH WHERE THERE'S ROOM TO REVISIT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EAST BOSTON IN MATTAPAN AS WE GO INTO IT BUT THE SORT OF BAR FOR MISMATCH HAS GONE MUCH LOWER AND WHERE IT DOES EXIST IN SOME PLACES IT'S OKAY. IT'S THAT THERE'S RULES AROUND A FRONT OR A SIDE YARD AND MAYBE ONE BUILDING'S A LITTLE BIT TOO CLOSE ON ONE SIDE TO THE YARD BUT YOU CAN STILL EFFECTIVELY REPURPOSE AND MODIFY YOUR BUILDING AS YOU GO . SO THAT'S THE PURPLE THE PINK IS WHERE WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON WORK RELATED TO THIS PRESENTATION AND THIS WORK ON NEIGHBORHOODS OWNING. SO ROSLINDALE HYDE PARK IN WEST ROXBURY ARE THE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS FIRST PHASE OF THIS INITIATIVE AND AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU ALL ARE WELL AWARE, THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON COMMUNITY PLAN IS ALSO UNDERGOING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT OF WHICH THESE DISTRICTS WILL PLAY A PART. AND SO THESE ARE THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION BUT WE KNOW THAT THE WORK NEEDS TO BE APPLIED CITYWIDE. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IN TERMS OF WORK THAT WE DID PLAN, MATTAPAN DID MANY, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. IT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD WIDE NEIGHBORHOOD WIDE PLAN. IT ACHIEVED NOT JUST ZONING GOALS BUT THINGS RELATED TO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT WE WANT TO SPEAK BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF ZONING WE ACHIEVED TWO PRIMARY THINGS ONE WAS THE CREATION OF DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE A BETTER MISMATCH TO ZONING IN TERMS OF ZONING DISTRICTS RELATIVE TO WHAT'S THERE AND CREATED AS WAS NOTED BY SOME OF YOU ALL THE PROVISION OF EASY TO USE IN A BUY RIGHT WAY. SO THOSE ARE IN PLACE. THOSE ARE NOW FULLY ENACTED AND RESIDENTS IN THE STUDY AREA OF MATTAPAN ARE ABLE TO USE THAT ZONING AS THEY THINK ABOUT MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES OR ADDING ADDITIVES. THOSE ARE THE TWO DISTRICTS AND THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND WHAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE AND IT'S ONLY BEEN IN EFFECT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF IS THAT THE EFFECT ON THE NEED FOR ZONING VARIANCES HAS BEEN FAIRLY PROFOUND. AGAIN, THIS IS YOU KNOW, 2024 AND 2025. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE WORLD. MORTGAGE RATES ARE COMPLICATED. CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP . BUT EVEN WITH SORT OF THOSE BROADER CAVEATS, WHAT WE CAN SEE IS THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, HALF OR MORE OF THINGS NEEDING TO GO TO THE ZBA FOR SMALL SCALE RENOVATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, NOW WE CAN SEE THAT 90% OF THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS CAN CAN BREEZE THROUGH AND JUST GET A PERMIT WITHOUT NEEDING ZONING RELIEF. THERE IS STILL A NEED FOR ZONING RELIEF AND SOMETIMES IT'S THINGS THAT WEREN'T EITHER FULLY ADDRESSED IN MATTAPAN BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT TO DO OR THINGS WHERE THERE ARE FUNNY CONDITIONS ABOUT A SPECIFIC SITE THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT. BUT THIS HAS BEEN A RECALIBRATION AS WE GET THE NEED FOR ZONING RELIEF TO REALLY BE IN MATTAPAN ABOUT THINGS THAT REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL PROCESS THAT A VARIANCE IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE. AND SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE IN SMALL SCALE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THE KIND OF PERMITS THAT CAN HAPPEN BY RIGHT AND WHERE THE VARIANCES NEEDED. SO SEVEN OF THEM THAT TALLEST BAR THAT'S ADDING AN ADDITIONAL UNIT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT SORT OF PROTOTYPICAL LITTLE HOUSE IN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD THAT PEOPLE MIGHT THINK OF AS AN ADU. BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES IT IS ADDING AND IT IS ADDING A UNIT TO YOUR EXISTING PROPERTY. IT COULD BE A BASEMENT, IT COULD BE A MODIFICATION TO YOUR EXISTING BUILDING OR IT COULD BE SOMETHING IN THE BACKYARD WHICH IS MADE BY RIGHT IN MATTAPAN. OTHER KINDS OF STRUCTURAL OR YOU KNOW, ADDITIONS OR EXTENSIONS THOSE ARE CHANGES TO A BUILDING. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE A NEW ACTUAL UNIT WITH ITS OWN EGRESS AND FIRE CODE AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS BUT IT ACHIEVES MANY OF THE GOALS THAT WE THINK OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADU. MANY OF THE EMAILS THAT GO TO YOUR BOSS NOT GOV ARE PEOPLE WANTING TO REPURPOSE THEIR BUILDING TO BE MORE USABLE BY THEM. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE RENTING IT OUT. THEY MIGHT JUST WANT THEIR GRANDMOTHER TO LIVE THERE TOO AND SO IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE CODE OF A NEW UNIT BUT IT'S A UNITS WORTH OF SPACE FOR FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM THAT IS NOW LARGELY ENABLED BY RIGHT OTHER KINDS OF CHANGES EXTERIOR RENOVATIONS ACCESSIBILITY PEOPLE CAN AND NOW DO BUILD RAMPS WITHOUT NEEDING TO GO TO THE ZBA FOR A VARIANCE. WHEN YOU WANT THAT GRANDMOTHER TO LIVE AND LIVE IN YOUR BUILDING WITH YOU YOU CAN ALLOW HER TO GET UP THE STAIRS INTO THE BUILDING SAFELY AND WHAT'S ALSO BEEN HELPFUL IS THAT SEPARATE FROM ZONING CHANGES A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE. INTERDEPARTMENTAL AT ESD AND THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO EXPEDITE THESE SMALLER KINDS OF PERMITS. SO EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T EVEN DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T EVEN NEED ZONING RELIEF, THERE'S LOTS OF ADDITIONAL WORK WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESSING IS HAPPENING IN A TIMELY MANNER AT THIS KIND OF SCALE. NEXT SLIDE THE SAME PICTURE FRIEZE BOSTON WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SOME OF THE ANALYSIS FOR SORT OF THE QUANTIFICATION OF THAT BUT THE SAME GENERAL PRINCIPLE IS THERE WE HAVE DISTRICTS THAT ALLOW SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2 TO 6 UNITS AND WE HAVE TWO DISTRICTS THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THERE'S ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS FOR OTHER KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT AND THAT WAS REALLY HEAVILY THOUGHT THROUGH THROUGH PLANNING TO BOSTON ITSELF. NEXT SLIDE. SO I SUSPECT MANY OF YOU ARE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THIS IF YOU'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND AND LOOKING AT THE CITY BILLBOARDS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THESE FLASHING UP ON THE SCREEN OR I HOPE MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENT HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU ABOUT THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF IS EVEN IN ADVANCE OF ZONING THE PLAN DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY PUT TOGETHER THE EDU GUIDEBOOK. THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH IS YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRINTED PHYSICAL DOCUMENT. THERE'S A COPY AT LEAST ONE COPY AVAILABLE IN EVERY SINGLE BPL BRANCH ACROSS THE CITY FOR CHECK OUT TO TAKE HOME AND RETURN AS WELL AS AN ONLINE VERSION BUT THE WEB PAGE AND A PDF OF THE BOOK ON THE CITY OF BOSTON PLAIN DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AND WHAT IT GETS US IS THE VISION. IT'S NOT JUST A VISION BOARD BUT IN MANY WAYS IT PROVIDES THAT INSPIRATION FOR RESIDENTS. WE WORKED WITH ARCHITECTS TO COME UP WITH A SET OF 12 DIFFERENT SCHEMES FOR THE KIND OF IDEAS THAT WITH ALL THE WORK OF CITY OF BOSTON STAFF WE THINK MAKE THE MOST SENSE FOR THE KINDS OF PROPERTIES AND HOUSING THAT WE SEE IN THE CITY. THIS ISN'T ZONING. THIS IS JUST AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EDU MEANS HERE IN THE CITY. IT COULD BE ALL THE WAY FROM, YOU KNOW, REPURPOSE AN EXISTING BUILDING. JUST READ CHANGING THE FLOOR PLAN ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF SAY A TRIPLE DECKER TO HAVE TWO UNITS IN IT ALL THE WAY TO ADDITIONS ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING LIKE YOU SEE ON THIS PICTURE ALL THE WAY TO BUILDING AND ACTUALLY A DETACHED STRUCTURE IN THE BACK. AND SO WHERE THIS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL IS RATHER THAN JUST KIND OF PIE OF PIE IN THE SKY THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANT HOUSING TO BE WE HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL BASE AN ARCHITECTURAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE ZONING TO TO ACTUALLY ENABLE THIS KIND OF INCREMENTAL HOUSING GROWTH. SO THIS IS ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT PLANNING STAFF AND MY STAFF GIVE TO RESIDENTS WHEN THEY CONTACT THE CITY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK ON AN ADU. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE GUIDEBOOK PART OF THIS OUTREACH PART OF IT'S ALSO THAT MLH HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HARD WORK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENABLE THE FINANCING AND LOGISTICS OF GETTING THIS DONE. THE BOSTON HOME CENTER HAS A COMPETITIVE AND HIGHLY ACTIVE PROGRAM OF PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE LOANS TO ENABLE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE. I THINK IT'S WORTH CAVEAT ADDING THAT THE JOB OF MLH IN DOING THIS IS TO MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE. BUT ONE THING THAT WE'RE VERY VERY AWARE OF IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU USE IN BUILDING IT REMAINED EXPENSIVE HERE IN THE CITY AND SO PART OF IT IS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ZONING. WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN REMOVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THAT BECOMES MORE PALATABLE AND MORE ACHIEVABLE FOR HOMEOWNERS HERE IN BOSTON. JUST AS A QUICK STAT AS OF A MONTH AGO OR SO AS OF SEPTEMBER 12TH 226 80 USE HAD BEEN PERMITTED CITYWIDE. THAT'S NOT JUST ATTACH ONCE THAT INCLUDES BASEMENTS, THAT INCLUDES EDITIONS AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WERE COMPLETED BUT THEY GOT BUILDING PERMITS. THEY MADE IT THROUGH THE REGULATORY PROCESS AT WHICH POINT THE FUND BEGAN TO ACTUALLY GETTING A BUILT. AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR CLETA ZAPATA. AHEAD. THANK YOU. OH HI COUNSELOR. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IN A NUTSHELL WHAT THIS EFFORT IS ALL ABOUT IS THIS DIAGRAM THAT YOU SEE HERE THIS SORT OF EMBODIES REALLY THIS THIS THIS WHOLE PROJECT. AND SO THE QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN ASKED BY LEADERSHIP AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BY BY SOME CITY COUNCILORS, BY NEIGHBORS WHO I KNOW HAS BEEN WHY WHY IS THIS SO HARD? WHY IS IT TAKE SO LONG TO ENABLE YOU TO USE THIS? THE REST OF THE STATE WAS ABLE TO DO IT. WHY CAN'T WE? AND ONE OF THE ANSWERS IS I THINK ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL MENTIONED IN YOUR INITIAL OPENING STATEMENT WHICH IS IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE GET IT RIGHT. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST CHANGE SOME RULES AND SAY WE ENABLED YOU TO USE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHANGE ENOUGH RULES THAT THE IDEAS ARE DOABLE AND THAT MAINTAINING PROPERTIES BECOMES DOABLE. AND SO THE SHORTEST ANSWER IS THE ZONING IS SO MISMATCHED THAT 99% IN BOSTON THAT FOR YEARS THAT IF THEY'RE AT ALL TOUCHING THE PRIMARY BUILDING ON A PROPERTY WE CAN'T JUST SAY YOU CAN BUILD AN 80. AND SO ONE OF THIS IS ANOTHER SORT OF BASIC OBSERVATION THAT'S CARRIED US A LONG WAY AS WE'VE WORKED ON THIS WHICH IS THAT UNLIKE MANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH, OUR LOTS ARE WELL THEY'RE BOSTONIAN, THEY ARE SMALLER THAN A LOT OF OTHER SUBURBAN AND MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES AND SO THE STATE OF THEIR WORK ABOUT ENABLING YOU TO USE HAS BEEN PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT AND IT OPERATED UNDER AN UNDERSTANDING THAT LIGHTS CAN BE BIGGER AND SO THEY SAID IF YOU'RE ON A LOT IF YOU'RE IN AN AREA WHERE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE ALLOWED, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A DETACHED ADU ON THAT LOT. THAT'S THE RULE. THAT'S WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED EVERY OTHER MUNICIPALITY TO DO. THAT'S A CRITICAL RULE THAT THAT IS THAT ACHIEVES A LOT OF ABILITIES FOR THE TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH . BUT AS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS ANALYSIS PARTICULARLY THROUGH THAT GUIDEBOOK, IT'S BECOME ESPECIALLY CLEAR THAT THAT ABILITY TO HAVE A DETACHED BUILDING ANOTHER HOUSE, A SEPARATE RESIDENCE BEHIND THE PRIMARY ONE JUST ISN'T GOING TO FIT AND A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY TODAY WHICH MEANS THAT JUST SAYING DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE ZONING BUILD THE THING IN THE BACK YARD IS HELPFUL. IT WILL RESULT IN SOME CONSTRUCTION, IT WILL RESULT IN SOME AID USE. BUT OUR CRITICAL TASK IS TO MAKE SURE IT'S DOABLE ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF PROPERTIES IN THE CITY WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE ZONING AS IT APPLIES TO EXISTING BUILDINGS. SO RIGHT NOW THE ZONING SAYS YOUR BUILDING ACCORDING TO ZONING HAS TO BE SMALLER OR SHORTER AND IN A DIFFERENT PLACE FROM WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS AND AS LONG AS THOSE AS LONG AS YOU DON'T MEET THOSE CONDITIONS, AS LONG AS YOUR BUILDING IS NOT WITHIN THE GREEN BOX, YOU HAVE TO SEEK A ZONE VARIANCE ZONING REALLY FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL WHICH MEANS ALL THIS CHANGES THAT BECOME IN AGGREGATE UP TO AN 80 OR EVEN JUST MAINTAINING YOUR PROPERTY YOU GET GOT BY THE ZONING. AND SO OUR JOB IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE IS TO CHANGE THAT BOX, MAKE THE BOX BIGGER, MAKE THE BOX TALLER, MAKE THE BOX FIT THE HOUSING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, GIVE IT SOME FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE SO IT ACTUALLY CAN SORT OF WIGGLE ALONG WITH WHERE EXISTING BUILDINGS ARE. BUT ADDITIONALLY AND THIS IS THE CHALLENGING PART OF IT CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE BOX SO IT CAN HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS TO ALLOW FOR RENOVATIONS IN 80 YEARS. THAT IS OUR TASK. WE'RE HARD AT WORK ON IT BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TO ACTUALLY DO THAT RIGHT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON EXISTING BUILDINGS AND SO WHAT WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS DOING HAS BEEN TO REALLY LOOK AT IT ACTUALLY PARCEL BY PARCEL. THIS IS A VERY SMALL PIECE OF THE MAP. WE ANALYZE THE CONFORMING NESS OR NONCONFORMING IS THE MISMATCH BETWEEN ZONING FOR EVERY SINGLE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE PRINT THESE OUT ON GINORMOUS MAPS. WE WENT TO HYDE PARK, WE WENT TO ROSLINDALE, WE WENT TO WEST ROXBURY. WE PRINTED IT OUT SO EVERYONE COULD FIND THEIR PROPERTY AND WE HAVE IT MAPPED OUT ONE, TWO, SIX WHAT WHAT DO YOU WHAT DOES THE ZONING GET RIGHT ON YOUR HOUSE? WHAT DOES IT NOT WHERE IS YOUR FRONT SIDE? WHERE IS YOUR SIDE YARD? WHERE IS YOUR WHERE WAS YOUR AIR WHERE'S YOUR UNIT COUNT WHERE IS YOUR. ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW DO YOU GET ALL THIS RIGHT OR WRONG AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT 99% REALLY MAPPED OUT AT WHICH POINT IT BECOMES CLEAR I THINK IN OUR COMMUNITY PROCESS AS WELL AS TO US AS PRACTITIONERS THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO BALANCE IN OUR NEW ZONING DISTRICT. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND NOW THE WORK FROM HERE BECOMES HOW WE GET IT RIGHT. AND SO OUR JOB OVER THE COMING YEAR IS TO COME UP WITH NEW DISTRICTS, TALK ABOUT THEM IN THE PUBLIC, REVISE THEM, HAVE A PUBLIC PROCESS AND THEN GET THIS ENACTED IN THE ZONING CODE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THAT'S THAT'S OUR TIMELINE RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF OUTREACH FROM CONSTITUENTS. WE'VE HAD THIS INITIAL SET OF PUBLIC WE HAVE OFFICE HOURS THAT ARE VIRTUAL. WE'RE MEETING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN FROM THERE WE'RE TAKING THAT FEEDBACK AND PUTTING THAT INTO A FIRST HAVE DISTRICTS THAT WE CAN GO BACK OUT TO THE PUBLIC WITH AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT GET IT RIGHT AND THEN GET IT ENCODED. AND WITH THAT I WILL STOP TALKING AND GIVE IT OVER TO KATHLEEN AND DEVIN. GREAT. I MEAN THIS IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES AS WE LOOK INTO 2026 FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND OUR WORK ON ZONING ACROSS THE CITY. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THE WAY THAT THIS COULD HAVE AN IMPACT LIKE WE SEE IN THE RESULTS IN MATTAPAN. RIGHT FOR FOR RESIDENTS FOR HOUSING IN THE CITY IT REPRESENTS ABOUT 20% OF THE VOLUME OF ZBA CASES WE SEE SO ALSO COULD BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE EFFORTS WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER WITH ESTY ON PERMITTING REFORM AND SO WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOUR FEEDBACK AS WE TAKE THIS WORK INTO 2026 TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BOTH GETTING THE POLICY RIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOUR RESIDENTS ,THE BUSINESSES THAT REACH OUT TO YOU THAT THEY ARE ALL PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS AND EQUIPPED TO BENEFIT FROM IT WHEN THE NEW ZONING GOES INTO EFFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS IS REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL AND EXCITING I THINK FOR SOME OF US AT LEAST MAYBE THE ONES SITTING HERE I THINK WE HAVE BEEN FILING AND TALKING AND WANTING TO HAVE A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK I GUESS FOR I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FITTING THE CONTOURS OF THE CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S ABOUT PUSHING BEYOND THAT . I JUST WANT TO OPEN UP WITH ONE QUESTION AND THEN I'M GOING TO LET EVERYONE ASK THEIR QUESTIONS. BUT HOW DOES THIS WORK PUSH BEYOND THE CONTOURS OF THE CURRENT LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WE KNOW THAT I THINK THOUGH EVEN THE WORD I I TALK ABOUT NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND PRESERVATION YOU KNOW I HAVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SORT OF KNOWN AS SORT OF THE HISTORIC BUT WHAT WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS WORK AND WE KNOW I MEAN I THINK COUNCILOR PEPEN HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD AND I THINK THIS PRESENTATION HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD OF WHEN WAS ZONING COMING TO PASS. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT LIKE I GUESS MY ESPECIALLY AS THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE WE NEED TO BE PUSHING BEYOND THE CONTOURS OF WHAT EXISTS AND AND EVEN I MEAN WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS HEARING ORDER I MEAN IT DOESN'T YOU KNOW, TRIPLE DECKERS DOESN'T GET AT THE TYPE OF DENSITY THAT WE NEED IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND THAT WE NEED IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS SORT OF HOW MUCH POLITICAL CAPITAL HOW MUCH HOW HOW MUCH IS THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILLING TO BEYOND WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS AND AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN? YEAH. SO I THINK WE AND I I'M LOOKING TO COUNCILOR BRITTON AND THE AUSTIN BRIGHTON COMMUNITY PLAN IS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANNING AND ZONING FOR THE SCALE IN SOME AREAS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE 80 YEARS OF THE PATH TO GROWTH ALL THE WAY UP TO MAYBE THE MOST DRASTIC SCALES OF GROWTH IN THE CITY. BUT AS PART OF THAT PROCESS WE REALLY ARE LOOKING TO FIGURE OUT NOT JUST THE SORT OF 2 TO 4 UNIT HOUSING THAT IS REALLY CONTEXTUAL ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUT ALSO THAT SORT OF 6 TO 14 SPACE THAT REALLY FORMS THE MISSING MIDDLE WHERE WE GET INCLUSIONARY UNITS DELIVERED WHERE WE GOT MORE PARTICULARLY HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO FIT IN PARTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE ARE DOING A SECOND HAVE DONE AN RFP, HAVE A CONSULTANT WORKING WITH US ON A GUIDEBOOK SPECIFICALLY LOOKING THAT SCALE OF 6 TO 14 LIKE WE DID FOR THE ADA GUIDEBOOK SO WE COULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF FRANKLY ACCESSIBILITY CODE IN PARTICULAR AND MODERN BUILDING CODE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS AND BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT IN ZONING AND IN PARTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THAT FITS BOTH WHAT OUR OUR PLANNING IS, WHERE THAT FITS WHAT'S ON THE GROUND. I THINK A SECOND PIECE IS THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE CITY DOES HAVE SMALL MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS. SOMETIMES THEIR ADAPTIVE REUSE IS OF SCHOOLS OR OTHER PLACES AND ONE OF OUR KEY PRINCIPLES WHEN WE GO TO REZONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE THE HOUSING IS LEGAL THAT WE HAVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IT'S A MAJOR COMPONENT OF ANTI DISPLACEMENT SO WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING CAREFULLY AT HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BOTH LEGALIZING WHAT'S THERE ON THE GROUND THAT IS LARGER AND POTENTIALLY HAVING A SORT OF SPECIAL OR DISCRETIONARY PROCESS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT MAYBE DOES NEED A ADDITIONAL REVIEW. THE THIRD PIECE OF THAT I'D SAY IS WE'RE LOOKING REALLY CLOSELY AT TOWNHOUSES PARTICULARLY IN THE OUTER NEIGHBORHOODS. THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY OFFER TO BOTH ALLOW FOR GROWTH BUT TO HAVE THAT GROWTH SERVE LARGER HOUSEHOLDS AND MORE EASILY SERVE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT FITS IN ACROSS OUR SORT OF ZONING AND AS AN OPPORTUNITY EVEN AS IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPOLOGY THAN SOME OF OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS HELP SERVE THOSE BIG PLANNING GOALS THAT WE HAVE AND NEED. THANK YOU AND I YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE VERY INTENSE OPPOSITION TO ZONING CHANGES AND VARIANCES GIVEN THAT REAL ESTATE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND OWNERS WANT TO PROTECT THEIR ASSET, I THINK A LOT OF US KNOW THAT TERM AS RENT SEEKING ESSENTIALLY THAT IS A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO COME TO THIS PROCESS AND I KNOW THROUGH EFFORTS LIKE THE PLANNING ACADEMY AND OTHER EFFORTS WE DO NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION. SO I AM EXCITED TO HEAR FROM THE SECOND PANEL. SO FIRST I WANT TO GO TO MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EVERYONE 5 MINUTES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. BUT WE DO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SECOND PANEL SO TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE TIME TO FULLY, YOU KNOW, FLESH OUT THEIR ARGUMENTS . SO WE'LL START WITH COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA. YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR FOR BEING HERE. WE'LL HAVE THE AMAZING PRESENTATION. I MEAN I LEARNED SO MUCH AND LOOKING FORWARD FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT MY COMMUNITY EDUCATING FOLKS I WANT PEOPLE LIKE YOU. I THINK IT WAS AN AMAZING PRESENTATION. I THINK ONE THING THAT I THINK REALLY STUCK WITH ME IS YOU KEPT SAYING WE GOT TO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GOT IT RIGHT. RIGHT. AND BALANCING GETTING THINGS RIGHT WITH ALSO THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN OF OF GETTING PEOPLE HOUSED RIGHT. I MEAN SO WHAT'S THE BALANCE THERE? RIGHT BECAUSE WITH GETTING IT RIGHT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A VERY LONG TERM APPROACH. YOU MENTIONED I THINK YOU'RE WEST ROXBURY HIGH PARK AND ALMOST ROSLINDALE. RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE THE KIND OF THE PRIORITY RIGHT NOW. I MEAN WHAT'S THE TIMELINE OF LIKE THE WHOLE CITY, RIGHT? OR DO WE HAVE WE STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS SO MAYBE IT'S NOT TO YOU I'M SEEING I DON'T I'M SAYING MAYBE YEAH I MEAN I THINK WE'RE REALLY HOPING WE CAN DELIVER BOTH THIS PHASE ONE AND THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON COMMUNITY PLAN AND ITS REZONING IN 2026 THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY AMBITIOUS WITH THE WORK ON THAT 6 TO 14 UNIT GUIDEBOOK AT THE SAME TIME WHICH IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE AREAS OF DORCHESTER JP MISSION HILL, ROXBURY THAT RIGHT ALREADY ON THE GROUND HAVE DENSER BUILDINGS AND THE PLAN IS TO SORT OF ROLL INTO 2027. MOVING ON TO THAT SECOND PHASE OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND BEING ABLE TO BRING THIS FORWARD AND THEN I KNOW I MISSED IT DURING THE PRESENTATION BUT I MEAN WHY THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACH? IS IT BECAUSE OF JUST THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOU KNOW, IS IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S A COMMUNITY PROCESS? YEAH, I THINK HONESTLY WE JUST HAVE LEARNED THAT WHEN ZONING IS SUCH A WONKY AND DRY AND KIND OF BORING SOUNDING TOPIC TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC MEETING ON FOLKS TUNE OUT WHEN WE JUST TALK ABOUT IT AS LIKE SORT OF ZONING BROADLY THAT MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE JUST REALLY USED TO ENGAGING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD BASIS. THEY TUNE IN WHEN THEY HEAR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD NAME AS PART OF THE MEETING. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING A APPROACH THAT WE'RE DOING MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT WE'RE REALLY BENEFITING FROM THAT ANALYSIS, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER BUT ALSO ARE GIVING PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE AT THE SORT OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO SORT OF SHOW UP, BE COMFORTABLE. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. I MEAN AND HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT THEN WITH LIKE BY THE END OF THIS PROCESS I SAY TRY AND TYPE 35 WHATEVER, WHATEVER. HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT LIKE I MEAN WE HAVE CITYWIDE POLICIES IN PLACE. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PLAUSIBLY DIFFERENT POLICIES IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO YOU THIS 50 YEARS FROM NOW, 100 YEARS FROM NOW WILL REQUIRE PROBABLY THE SAME TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I MEAN HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT? YEAH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS SOME OF WHAT WE WERE SHOWING YOU ON THE CASES IN MATTAPAN IS THAT WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO TRACK AND UNDERSTAND HOW PROPERTY OWNERS THE MARKET RATE BROADLY JUST HOUSING IS RESPONDING TO THESE ZONING CHANGES SO THAT WE CAN PIVOT IF WE NEED TO THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE CHANGES ARE WORKING. WE HAVE LESSONS LEARNED THAT CAN GO INTO FUTURE PHASES THAT WE CAN GO BACK. SO TOWNHOUSES IN MATTAPAN IS ONE OF THOSE LIKE WE'VE ALREADY WENT AND MET WITH MATTAPAN SAYING HEY LIKE THE REZONING WE DID FOR YOU DIDN'T CONTEMPLATE LIKE THE TOWNHOUSES TAKE UP DIFFERENT SPACE ON A LOT THAN BUILDINGS IN YEARS AND DO YOU DO YOU GUYS WANT LIKE DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE AN UPDATE THAT WE CONSIDER OR ARE YOU LIKE WE'RE EXHAUSTED? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ZONING FOR TOO LONG ALREADY AND THERE BECAUSE OF THE DESIRE FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP IN PARTICULAR AND THAT SORT OF OPPORTUNITY THEY'RE LIKE NO, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TOWNHOUSES. SO I THINK A CULTURE OF SORT OF LIKE ALWAYS BE AMENDING LIKE REALLY KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO KEEP ZONING UP TO DATE IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROCESS SORT OF IN SOME WAYS LIKE DOESN'T END. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY MONITORING AND ABLE TO ADJUST AS NEEDED. AND I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT WHILE IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO ENGAGE A HYPER LOCAL LEVEL ONE AND ENGAGE NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD THE WAY THAT KATHLEEN JUST MENTIONED, WE'RE ALSO THINKING MORE BROADLY ABOUT THE WAY WE AUTHOR THE ZONING CODE SO THAT THE ZONING CODE ITSELF IS NOT NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT RESPECTS THE CHARACTER AND UNIQUENESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND DISTRICT AND SQUARE IN OUR CITY AND ENFORCES THAT. BUT BUT IS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE CITYWIDE TYPE DISTRICTS. SO PART OF THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHY THAT THREE NEIGHBORHOODS BE SELECTED IS BECAUSE IN THOSE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY'RE THEY'RE THE LARGEST LOTS. THEY HAVE A THERE'S A LOT OF COMMONALITY IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING STOCK IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS BETWEEN HYDE PARK, WEST ROXBURY AND ROSLINDALE. AND THEN WHEN WE GO TO THE NEXT PHASE WE'LL THINK OF IT IN THE SAME WAY WHERE THERE THINK OF MANY NEIGHBORHOODS OF OUR CITY THAT HAVE THESE SORT OF SHARED FABRICS AND THAT'S HOW WE'LL ADDRESS THAT CREATING TEMPLATES IN OUR CODE THAT ARE RESPECTIVE OF THOSE CHARACTER BUT IT EXISTS IN A CITYWIDE WAY NOW. AWESOME. MY TIME IS UP SO AGAIN REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND AGAIN WE'LL JUST I WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH YOU TO LEARN MORE ALWAYS THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU TERRY. OKAY AWESOME. THANK SO MUCH COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR KEVIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION IT'S ALWAYS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR ME TO HEAR THESE PRESENTATIONS AND LOOK AT THESE BOOKS AS AS YOU KEEP HEARING HYDE PARK AND ROSLINDALE AND MATTAPAN ARE THREE NEIGHBORHOODS. I LOOKED AT A LOT WHICH IS LITERALLY MY ENTIRE DISTRICT SO THANK YOU FOR THIS. I WANTED TO ASK YOU DO YOU FORESEE THIS REALLY HELPING OUR ZONING BOOK BECOMING MORE STREAMLINED AND LESS COMPLICATED BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU LOOK UP HEY WHAT CITY HAS THE MOST COMPLICATED ZONING BOOK IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IT IS BOSTON AND IT'S OVER 4000 PAGES AND IT'S VERY COMPLICATED FOR ANYONE TO REALLY NAVIGATE AND TO DO ANY CHANGES TO THE HOUSE. SO THAT'S PART ONE OF MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THAT GOING TO FIX IT BECOME MORE LEGIBLE FOR JUST RESIDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO DO SOME CHANGES AND THEN TO HOW IS THIS GOING TO REALLY STREAMLINE MORE PROJECTS DOWN THE PIPELINE THAT ARE CURRENTLY STUCK IN THE ZBA OR THROUGH TRYING TO GET AWAY WITH, YOU KNOW, VARIANCES AND DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS? HAVE WE LOOKED ANALYZE THE MAP, THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT THIS COULD BENEFIT FROM? YES. SO THIS IS ABOUT 20% RIGHT NOW OF THE CASELOAD THAT IS AT THE ZBA IS OF THIS TYPE OF SCALE OF PROJECT IN THESE SORT OF THREE NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT THAT'S A POTENTIALLY REALLY MAJOR WIN FOR RESIDENTS FOR THE OVERALL SCALE OF THE DOCKET AT THE EPA FOR PERMITTING TIMES ACROSS THE CITY I THINK TO THE FIRST PLACE LIKE YES IT IS GOING TO MAKE THE ZONING CODE A LOT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND TO USE AND EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO GET FEWER PAGES. WE ARE REFORMING THE ZONING CODE BY ADDITION SO IT IT'S LIKE IT GETS LONGER TO GET SHORTER AND THEN SOMEDAY WE'RE GOING TO GET TO START MAKING IT SHORTER AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY GREAT MOMENT FOR THE ZONING TEAM AND EVERYONE WHO WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO SOMEDAY BE UNDER, YOU KNOW, SHORTER THAN THE CITY OF NEW YORK ZONING CODE AS AN ASPIRATION. BUT BY THIS MOVE TO UTILIZING CITYWIDE DISTRICTS WE CAN REALLY AVOID REPLICATING THE SAME TEXT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH MINOR DIFFERENCES THAT END UP JUST MAKING IT REALLY COMPLEX AND REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES. THE ZONING LINES CAN FEEL REALLY ARBITRARY, RIGHT? THERE ARE RESIDENTS WHO ARE TECHNICALLY IN HYDE PARK ZONING WHO THINK OF THEMSELVES AS LIVING IN MATTAPAN AND THOSE MINOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHERE THE LINE IS DRAWN REALLY GET THEM TRIPPED UP SO THE SYSTEM CAN HELP AVOID THAT IN THE FUTURE. WELL THAT'S GREAT. I AM I'M JUST A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR MAKING IT EASIER FOR ANYONE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ZONING IS AND BEING IN A LOT OF THOSE MEETINGS IT IS A VERY BORING CONVERSATION BUT A VERY IMPORTANT ONE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY WHICH LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION IS SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT AS BORING WHEN WE HAD OUR SQUARES INDUSTRIES CONVERSATION WAS THE MAPPING SESSIONS ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO REALLY PLAY AROUND OF HOW THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD COULD LOOK LIKE WHAT THIS NEW ZONING OR WITH MORE TRIPLE DECKERS I WAS WATCHING THE STREET ON DIFFERENT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF ENGAGE FOR CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS AND I SAY I ASK BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS IN MY DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY AND THAT REALLY HELPED PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS. YEAH, WE ARE HOPING THAT IN THE SORT OF PROBABLY SPRING OF NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OUT TO HAVE MAPPING SESSIONS WITH EACH ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. OKAY, LET'S GO AND SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO KEEP IN MIND IS ENSURING THAT EXISTING HOMEOWNERS ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE BIPOC ARE PART OF THE BIPOC COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM THIS BECAUSE WHAT I'M SCARED OF IS THAT YES WE DO PUSH THIS FORWARD BUT IT'S A NEW AND DIFFERENT GENERATION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM IT. I WANT TO KNOW LIKE DO WE HAVE THAT IN MIND WHEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS? WHAT HAVE WE TALKED ABOUT? SOMETHING THAT I REALLY LIKE THAT WAS PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION IS THAT IN THE 80 YOU PROCESS I THINK IMAGINE THAT 26 OF YOUR PROJECT RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE BOSTON HEALTH WAS IN BOSTON HOME CENTER SO I WONDER WHAT KIND OF FUNDING THAT WAS. WHO DO THEY GO TO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW? I WOULD JUST LOVE TO GET THOSE IN THE FUTURE. WANT TO SEE OUR HOW OUR BIPOC COMMUNITIES BENEFITED FROM THIS AS WELL TO SHARE THEM MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM LIVING IN THE CITY SO SO MLH IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK FOR ALL THE PRECISE DETAILS I CAN GENERALLY CHARACTERIZE IT AS THEY HAVE A COMBINATION OF A LOAN AS WELL AS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THOSE ARE TIED TO INCOME AND SO THEY'RE TARGETED PRECISELY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WHERE IT'S THE MOST USEFUL. THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ONE OF THE BIG LESSONS WHICH HAS BEEN THAT THOSE GO A VERY LONG WAY FOR PEOPLE. BUT ONE OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING AS PEOPLE GO THROUGH THAT IS THAT THEY MAY GET SOME INITIAL ASSISTANCE BUT THE OVERALL PROCESS REMAINS COMPLICATED AND ONEROUS AND SO WE CAN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS THROUGH A ZONING CHANGE BUT WE ABSOLUTELY HOPE THAT HAVING THIS BE MORE SYSTEMATIC, MORE COMMONLY DONE AND EASIER TO DO IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS AND EVERYONE WHO'S INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS FOR HOMEOWNERS CAN DO IT IN A MORE EFFICIENT KIND OF WAY BECAUSE THE BIG LESSON IS WHEN IT'S SORT OF BESPOKE WHEN IT'S A ONE OFF, WHEN IT'S UNIQUE TO EVERY SINGLE SITUATION, THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE COSTS GO UP. AND SO THIS IS ONE PIECE OF THAT BIGGER PUZZLE. MM HMM. THANK YOU FOR DESCRIBING IT THAT WAY BECAUSE IT'S JUST VERY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW THIS IS A WAY PART OF A BIGGER PICTURE COMPARED TO THAT ONE? OUR SITUATION IT IS I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A PRESENTATION. I'LL HOLD MY QUESTIONS FOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ALL OF MY QUESTIONS FOR NEXT ROUND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY I THINK CONTINUED ME ON THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING HAS THE CITY THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER LIKE A VETTED CONTRACTOR LIST OR STANDARDIZED SCOPES OF WORK OR SOMEHOW MADE LIKE TAILOR PACKAGES TO FOLKS WHO WANT TO BUILD OUT THESE IDEAS? I THINK BULK PRICING PARTNERSHIPS YES. BUT I KNOW THAT MUCH HAS BEEN WORKING ON WHAT MIGHT BE WAYS THAT SOME OF THE PREFAB OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE UNDER UPDATED ZONING. I WILL SAY ONE OF OUR BIG GOALS IS TO GET THESE ZONING RULES IN PLACE BECAUSE THEN IT ALLOWS THE BUILDING OUT OF THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS BECAUSE THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND THAT'S IN PLACE. SO IN SOME WAYS WE'RE MAYBE FOCUSED ON THAT AS THE FIRST STEP OF THE PROBLEM AND THEN ARE KEEPING OUR COLLEAGUES ENGAGED THAT EVERYONE IS ABLE TO BUILD OFF OF THAT WORK. YEAH, AND I THINK A COMPLEMENTARY TO THAT AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SAY YOU'RE NOT THERE FULLY YET AS WELL BUT TO GET TO THE SORT OF MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING I THINK THAT WE WANT TO REALLY ATTACK YOU DON'T REALLY GET AT THAT WITHOUT SUPPORTING SMALL LOCAL DEVELOPERS SO WONDERING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR US TO DO THAT ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN SMALL DEVELOPERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE GET A LOT OF THESE IDEAS BUILT? ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS ONE OF THE PIECES OF THAT 6 TO 14 UNIT GUIDEBOOK IS ACTUALLY INTERVIEWING THE SMALL DEVELOPERS THAT ARE OPERATING AT THAT SCALE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE RIGHT, WHAT WHAT KEEPS YOU AT THE SCALE OR WHAT CHASES YOU OUT OF IT AND OPEN APPEALED TO ANY OF YOU. IF YOU TALK TO A SMALL DEVELOPER PARTICULARLY MINORITY DEVELOPERS THAT ARE AND LOCAL DEVELOPERS THAT ARE OPERATING IN YOUR DISTRICT AT THAT SCALE. WE'D LOVE YOUR HELP GETTING CONNECTED TO THEM. THEY ARE RIGHT. SOMETIMES THE HARDEST FOR US IS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO CHASE DOWN COMPARED TO BIG DEVELOPERS AND REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR FROM THEM AS PART OF THIS PROCESS SO WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OBSTACLES ARE AND ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT HOLISTICALLY . THANK YOU. AND THEN I KNOW NEW YORK IS ALSO LOOKING AT LIKE 80 LEGALIZATION AND PAIRING IT WITH REDUCE SEEING RESIDENTIAL PARKING MINIMUMS. ARE WE LOOKING AT IT IN THAT WAY HERE? AND DO THE MODELS THAT YOU HAVE SUGGEST THAT MAKING THE LEGALIZATION OF THE USE HOW WOULD THAT OR WON'T THAT AFFECT PARKING PRESSURES FROM WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE IN YOUR MODELS? YEAH. AND NOT JUST TO USE LIKE JUST IN GENERAL. YEAH LIKE MULTIFAMILY HOMES TRIPLE DECKERS. YEAH IT'S SO IT'S REALLY INTERESTING I GUESS I WOULD SAY TO YOUR FIRST ONE THEY ARE THEY ARE RIGHT CORRELATED MANY TIMES WHERE A CURRENT DRIVEWAY OR GARAGE RATE SPACES IS THE BEST PLACE FOR AN 80 TO GO BOTH IN TERMS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVING ACCESS TO IT FOR SAFETY AND BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY SORT OF DISTURBED AREA OF LOT SO SOME OF THE BEST WAYS TO PRESERVE TREE CANOPY IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THE CITY'S URBAN FOREST PLAN. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE A YOU SORT OF SHAPE ON THAT PARKING DEMAND IN QUESTION. SO IN SOME OF OUR LEAST DENSE AREAS WHERE THESE LOTS ARE LARGER, THERE'S BOTH SPACE FOR PARKING TO BE BUILT OR THERE'S ON STREET PARKING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND WE EXPECT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE EVEN WITH THESE CHANGES AS WE GET INTO HIGHER DENSITY AREAS. THAT'S THAT'S SORT OF ALSO TRUE BECAUSE OUR OUR RATES OF CAR OWNERSHIP GO DOWN. THEY'RE MORE LOCATED BY TRANSIT IN THE MIDDLE. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WORKING REALLY HARD ON STUDYING THAT QUESTION BOTH TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET BALANCE THE NEEDS TO HAVE HOW HOUSING TO HAVE TREES AND TO HAVE PARKING AND REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR ON STREET PARKING AVAILABILITY AS PART OF THAT PROBLEM. SO I, I KNOW WE'RE COMING BACK TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT PARKING MINIMUMS IN DECEMBER BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DIGGING KIND OF INTO THAT THORNY MIDDLE WE HAD TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE END OF THE YEAR. SO YEAH, DO YOU FORESEE THAT AS IS PROBABLY LIKE ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES IN COMMUNITY REGARDING. YEAH, I MEAN I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? RIGHT. AND GENERALLY I WOULD SAY THAT LIKE PARKING AND CONCERNS ABOUT PARKING ARE EVERGREEN IN EVERY COMMUNITY EVEN AS THEY'RE DIFFERENT BUT YES THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE CHALLENGE BIG CHALLENGES AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THIS AT THE DECEMBER HEARING ON PARKING MINIMUMS. BUT I THINK IN GENERAL THERE'S A LOT OF COMMON SENSE REFORMS HERE THAT THE TEAM IS TALKING ABOUT THAT I THINK HAVE A PRETTY BROAD CONSENSUS AND WE COULD USE YOUR HELP ESTABLISHING WHAT THAT WHERE THAT CONSENSUS IS IF WE CAN MOVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS FORWARD AS FIRST CHUNK AND DO WE NEED ARE THERE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE TOO HIGH A PARKING MINIMUMS. YEAH THAT EXISTS AND AND DO WE NEED TO REGULATE PARKING? YES WE ABSOLUTELY DO. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS ARE THE GUIDEBOOK DESIGNS THERE ARE A LOT OF EXPENSIVE INTERVENTIONS AND SO I GUESS THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT LIKE THE STAIRS, THE DORMERS BASEMENTS WATERPROOFING STRUCTURAL RETROFITS. WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS ALL OF THIS WHICH ADD COST AND ADD TO THE BARRIERS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ADA USE. DO WE ALSO PROVIDE COST ESTIMATIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY COULD PREDICT? YEAH, I KNOW THAT AS PART OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING THROUGH THE SORT OF ADA AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND THE BOSTON HOME CENTER THE OFFICE HOURS THAT THEY HAVE WITH ICD STAFF INCLUDING PLAN REVIEWERS THEY'RE PARTICIPATING THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THE DIFFERENT COST TRADEOFFS OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT MODELS ARE DOING AN 80 TO A BASEMENT OR ATTIC CONVERSION IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN BUILDING A WHOLE NEW STRUCTURE TO THE SIDE. YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS STACK TOGETHER. PART OF WHY WE'RE DOING THAT SMALL MULTIFAMILY GUIDEBOOK STUDY IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THESE THRESHOLDS REGARDING FIRE AND REGARDING BUILDING CODE EXIST SO THERE ARE ZONING CAN BE MINDFUL OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKELY GOING TO CONTINUE EXIST AS SIGNIFICANT COST DRIVERS AND SO THAT WAY WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT MODERN CONSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE AND THE WAYS THAT THAT DRIVES DIFFERENT HOMEOWNER'S DECISIONS WHEN ZONING AND AND ACTUALLY THE TEAM THAT'S UP HERE IS THINKING SORT OF PROACTIVELY ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HOW TO GET OUR ZONING CODE IN PLACE AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MENTION THERE AT MLH THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THE NOW RIGHT? AND IF YOU WANT TO BUILD AN API YOU NOW NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE PROGRAMS FOR YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EXPENSIVE EPA PROCESS BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY BUT THERE IS THAT TEAM DOES EXIST. THEY ARE HELPING PEOPLE GET THEIR IDEAS COMMITTED TO HELPING THEM GET INTO FINANCE AND HAPPY TO BRING BACK DATA TO THE COUNCIL ON THAT TEAM'S WORK . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HARD TO HOLD MY TIME ON THE PARKING MINIMUMS ONE BUT I'LL JUST SAY WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS. WE DON'T HAVE A PARKING CRISIS AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT BUT I'LL JUST REPEAT IT SO OKAY, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT PERSON. COUNCILOR WAS BREADON YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU SO THE ADOS IS OUR THOUGHT THAT THERE HAS TO BE AN OWNER OCCUPIED HOME TO ADD AN IDEA. I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE REQUIREMENT ACROSS THE STATE IS THAT CORRECT? SO CURRENTLY IN BOSTON THE WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EDAS REQUIRE IT TO BE AN OWNER OCCUPANT AND FOLKS ARE GOING TO THE BOARD OF APPEAL RIGHT WHEN THEY'RE NOT AN OWNER OCCUPANT AND GENERALLY THOSE CASES ARE GETTING APPROVED BECAUSE AS YOU NOTED EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE THAT RESTRICTION. SO I THINK WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOUSING POLICY IS ALIGNED WITH STATEWIDE HOUSING POLICY THERE GOING FORWARD. I THINK IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE OURS AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF ABSENTEE LANDLORDS WHO YOU KNOW IF THEY DON'T OWN THE MAIN BUILDING AND THEY'RE GOING TO ADD ANOTHER BUILDING IT'S ADDING HOUSING. WE NEED HOUSING. BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, THE LONG TERM RESIDENTS FEEL THAT THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE TOO MUCH BUT I'M SORT OF AGNOSTIC ON THAT ONE IN TERMS BECAUSE WE DO NEED THE HOUSING AND THEN WITH REGARD TO THE TRIPLE DECKERS, THE ICONIC BOSTON TRIPLE DECKER, THEY MODIFIED THE ZONING CODE TO MAKE IT THAT THEY WOULDN'T COMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO HIGH WAY BACK WHEN. SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET BACK TO THAT. WE HAVE SEEN A FEW BUILT FOR THE MUST HAVE DONE IN ALLSTON. I'VE SEEN A FEW TRIPLE DECKERS BEING BUILT PROBABLY ON AN EMPTY EMPTY LOTS. IT LENDS ITSELF VERY WELL TO FILLING THOSE INFILL SPACES. THE ONE I'M WONDERING ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF JUST THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING ANY HOME BUT THE TRIPLE DECKER LENDS ITSELF PARTICULARLY TO PROBABLY A PREFABRICATED TYPE CONSTRUCTION. ARE WE DOING ANY WORK KNOW WAY BACK WHEN WE HAVE SEARS BUNGALOWS AND IN AUGUST AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER ALISON BRAYTON BUT I'M SURE THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THEM AS WELL BUT PRE-FABRICATED BUNGALOWS THAT YOU ORDERED ALL YOU DIDN'T KNOW DO IT ONLINE YOU GOT A CATALOG BUT THE PREFABRICATION THING I KNOW THESE SMALLER SCALE CONSTRUCTIONS WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT UNION LABOR OR WHATEVER BUT I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT. YEAH, I MEAN WE'RE HOPING FOR THAT RIGHT BY HAVING UPDATED ZONING DIMENSIONS AND ALSO BY HAVING THAT RIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CITYWIDE STANDARDS THAT THAT WILL MAKE THAT MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ACKNOWLEDGING THAT OUR GOOD ROXBURY PUTTING STONE AND THE TOPOGRAPHY OF BOSTON DOES MAKE THAT QUITE CHALLENGING THE INFILL CONDITIONS ARE TIGHT RIGHT IN A LOT OF PLACES WHEN YOU'RE DOING CONSTRUCTION YOU'RE VERY MUCH HAVING TO TALK TO YOUR ABUTTERS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE IT YOU KNOW WE'RE A CITY AND TOGETHER. SO I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR ZONING SET UP TO TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE WAYS THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE LIMITED IMPACT IN SOME OF THE TIGHTER SITES WE HAVE IN BOSTON. YEAH, THE FAMOUS STONE HILL IS IT ALSO EXACTLY RIGHT AND KNOW THERE'S THE FLOODPLAIN OF THE CHARLES AND THEN THERE'S THE HILLS OF BRIGHTON SO THE I'M CURIOUS ABOUT JUST AN ENDORSEMENT MAYBE A SEGWAY ANOTHER FORM OF HOUSING JUST THINKING ABOUT THERE ARE RULES AND I KNOW WE'VE SOME BRIGHTON CDC HAS DEVELOPED SOME OLDER BUILDINGS THAT THEY'VE RECONVERTED INTO AS A RULES FOR FOLKS IN HOUSING AND FOR FOLKS IN RECOVERY WHO ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS OR HOMELESS. IT'S A WONDERFUL PROJECT. THIS ACTUALLY WORKS VERY WELL. ARE WE ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL AND THE MENU OF OPTIONS FOR FOR HOUSING BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE GOT VERY LOW INCOME THAT WOULDN'T QUALIFY NECESSARILY FOR OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING BUT STILL NEED HOMES ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL ? YES. SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE HOUSING TYPES WE'RE STUDYING AS PART OF THAT 6 TO 14 UNIT GUIDEBOOK. IT'S A SIMILAR SORT OF SCALE BUILDING FREQUENTLY AND LODGING HOUSES AS THEY'RE SORT OF KNOWN IN THE ZONING CODE ARE ONE OF THE ALLOWED USES IN ALL OF THE SQUARES AND STREETS DISTRICTS. SO IN COUNCILOR PIPPINS DISTRICT HE'S GOT ROSLINDALE AND MATTAPAN AND PLACES WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO INNOVATE ON THAT MODEL. YOU KNOW THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PREJUDICE ABOUT LODGING HOUSES, YOU KNOW, BUT I FEEL THAT WE HAD ONE A FEW DOORS UP FOR US FROM US AND ALSO IN OUR STREET AND YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW THE FOLKS ARE JUST TRYING TO GET BY LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND IF IT'S A WELL-REGULATED HOME AND AND WELL AND WELL MAINTAINED AND THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM IN MOST CASES I THINK I APPRECIATE YOU FLAGGING THESE EXAMPLES AND WE'D LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU MORE ABOUT HOW WE COULD MAKE THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE RESIDENTIAL ZONING LOOKS LIKE AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON COMMUNITY PLAN. SO WE'RE USING EXAMPLES THAT WILL BE RELEVANT TO US AND IN BRIGHTON RESIDENTS WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILOR BREADON I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I KNEW WE HAVE JILLIAN WALL HERE WHO WILL BE A PART OF THE NEXT PANEL REGARDING PREFAB SOLUTIONS FOR TRIPLE DECKER. SO COUNCILOR SANTANA THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING SO WE ARE GOING TO GO NEXT TO COUNCILOR BRIAN ROLL. I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS JOSH SEACOMBE IS HERE SO HE'S BEEN MILLING ABOUT BUT I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE WAS HERE. GO AHEAD AND SARA THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I KNOW WE TOUCHED ON IT BUT DO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A RANGE OF COSTS OF WHAT IT WOULD BE FOR CREATING AN ADU AND THEN ALSO WHAT WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE TO THE CITY OFFER IN TERMS OF LIKE DOLLAR AMOUNT. I'M GOING TO ADD A TO WILL ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT AND THE RANGE DOES VARY A LOT AND I THINK TO THE POINT THAT ONE OF YOU RAISED AT THE CONCILOR MEJIA HERE IS AT THE BEGINNING SOME FOLKS ARE COMING THROUGH SORT OF LEGALIZING WORK OR MAKING MINOR CHANGES TO WORK THEY MAY HAVE DONE ALREADY AND PHOTOSHOP IS VERY LOW COST TO USE AND THEN RIGHT SOME FOLKS ARE DOING MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THE RIGHT SCALE OF A MAJOR ADDITION. SO IT IT JUST VERY MUCH VARIES BASED ON THE CONDITION OF THE EXISTING SORT OF HOME AND THE SCOPE OF THE CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING. YEAH I'VE TALKED TO HOMEOWNERS AND YOU KNOW SOME HOME OWNERS MINOR CHANGES AND SOME HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DIG DOWN RIGHT EXACTLY AT THE FIRE HYDRANTS ACROSS THE STREET THAT COULD BE LIKE AN ADDITIONAL $50,000. BUT JUST WANTING TO KIND OF GET LIKE AN IDEA OF THAT THAT RANGE IS HIGHER THAN WE WANT IT TO BE FOR SURE. YEAH. AND THE ASSISTANCE THAT THE CITY PROVIDES IS YOU KNOW, WELL-DESERVED AND NEEDED BY EVERYONE WHO QUALIFIES FOR IT. BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE BOARD AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD ASK ME ABOUT IN MORE DETAIL I'M SORRY ON THE EXACT NUMBERS IS THAT IT'S NEVER QUITE ENOUGH AND A VERY COMMON THING THAT PEOPLE ARE FINDING IS THAT THEY GET THE ASSISTANCE AND THEY GOT A LOT OF THE WAY BUT IT'S STILL NOT QUITE THERE ALL THE WAY. ONE THING WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON TO THAT END IS THIS IS PART OF WHAT THE GUIDEBOOK WAS ABOUT AND THERE'S ALSO A FAIR BIT OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK TO TRY TO FOREGROUND UPFRONT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THE BIG THINGS THAT CAUSE STICKER SHOCK. AND SO PART OF WHAT KATHLEEN WAS MENTIONING ALL THAT OTHER WORK THAT GOES ON THERE'S A MONTHLY WORKSHOP THAT HOMEOWNERS CAN GO TALK TO A SORT OF A COMBINED PANEL OF PLANNERS I SEE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IS WHEN THEY ARE REACHING THINGS THAT AREN'T JUST SORT OF THE SORT OF HYPOTHETICAL THRESHOLDS WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE MISSING MIDDLE VERSUS YOU KNOW, SMALLER SCALE BUT MORE PRAGMATIC THINGS LIKE FOR EXAMPLE I JUST HAD A STRUCTURE HAS TO BE SPRINKLER THAT'S PART OF THE FIRE CODE. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE ALSO WE HAVE A STRONG SUSPICION THAT IDEAS ARE LIKELY GOING TO BE PART OF A PRIMARY STRUCTURE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT FULL SPRINKLED CONDITION UNDER THREE UNITS OR UNDIVIDED THREE UNITS MORE AND YOU HAVE TO SPRINKLE THE WHOLE THING. SO ONCE YOU HIT THREE UNITS THAT'S A PRIMARY TRIGGER AND THEN IF IT'S A SEPARATE STRUCTURE THAT'S ANOTHER ONE AND SO THAT'S ONE PIECE. ANOTHER PIECE IS RELATED TO REWORKING YOUR SITE TO ALLOW FOR FIRE ACCESS. IF IT'S A DETACHED STRUCTURE YOU HAVE TO GO TO GET THE TRUCK THERE THAT REQUIRES MAYBE RETHINKING HOW YOUR PARKING IS LAID OUT AND SO A COMBINATION OF THE NOTES IN THE GUIDEBOOK ADDITIONAL FLAGGING FROM CITY STAFF, ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE THAT'S PART OF THE BROADER ADU CHECKLIST THAT'S BEEN MUCH MORE WORK THAN JUST PLAYING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS LIKE CITY HALL COMING TOGETHER HAS BEEN TRYING TO LAY THAT OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE PEOPLE GET TOO DEEP INTO IT SO THEY GET A SENSE OF NOT JUST WHAT'S HYPOTHETICALLY POSSIBLE ON THEIR SITE BUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY REALISTIC AND WHAT'S THE LOWEST COST WAY TO GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT AND IS IT MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR ME WHICH IS IT A GRANT OR IS IT REIMBURSABLE? OH GOD I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON THE RECORD BUT I'M GOING TO GET IT WRONG. I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION. I THINK IT'S A GRANT THAT BURNS OFF WITH THAT HOMEOWNER. I CAN SEE I THINK THAT'S HOW MOST OF THE HOMEOWNER LOANS WORK. OKAY. SO IT'S LIKE YOU COMPLETE IT. YEAH, IT'S HARD TO DO THAT THERE FOR A LONGER THAN THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY LESS OF IT. GOT IT. AWESOME. AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE WERE THE MAYOR. THERE WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE EXPEDITED AND I GUESS WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS IS THAT IT DOES HELP BUT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT HELPS IS IS YOU KNOW AS PROBABLY NOT AS INTENDED AS YOU KNOW EXECUTIVE ORDER WANTED TO BE BECAUSE OF ALL THE BUILDING PERMITS. RIGHT. THAT IS THE YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL GETTING SLOW DOWN THERE. YOU KNOW CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE HEARD AROUND THAT PROCESS AND HOW A COORDINATING WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT I USED TO GET THIS THROUGH SO I THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CUT THAT THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY ABOUT 25 OR 30% WHICH IS EXCELLENT AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION I THINK THE MAYORS BOTH ARE CUT IN HALF SO WE'RE NOT THERE YET AND PART OF THIS IS THE ZONING PROCESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WHICH WENT INTO AD ADDING MONTHS TO GO TO THE EPA. SO THE MORE THAT WE MOVE TOWARD HOUSING BEING ALLOWED AND THE HYPER AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE WANT TO DOE BEING ALLOWED IN OUR ZONING CODE WILL CUT THAT TIME OUT ENTIRELY. BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE YARDLEY ENTITLEMENT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PULL YOUR PERMIT THAT MIGHT SLOW YOU UP IN TERMS OF COURTS AND COMMISSIONS IN OTHER WAYS THAT THE PROPONENTS POSE TO NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS. THE WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE OUR PERMITTING PROCESS TODAY IS THAT IT'S PROPONENT DRIVEN. THE PROPONENT NEEDS TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN WAY OF NAVIGATING FROM CONCEPT TO PERMIT ISSUANCE AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON AT ESD, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, MLH EVEN FOR FIRE PARKS AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT REVIEW TO CHANGE THAT TO BEING MORE CITY DRIVEN AND HAVE A MORE CUSTOMER RESPONSIVE APPROACH THAT SAYS HEY, IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THIS TRIPLE DECKER THEN THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT YOU MUST GO THROUGH RATHER THAN YOU FIGURE OUT THE PROCESS THAT YOU MUST GO THROUGH. SO THAT'S THAT'S WORK THAT'S VERY MUCH IN PROGRESS. RIGHT. AND JUST ONE MORE QUESTION. THE COMMENT BECAUSE KNOW TO YOUR POINT BECAUSE IT'S PROPONENT DRIVEN YOU KNOW SOME OPPONENTS HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS I KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE BUT IF IT'S A HOMEOWNER DO AN ADU IN THEIR FIRST TIME NEAR YOU KNOW AT ONE TIME DOWN TO TEN TIMES THAT COULD BE DISCOURAGING EXACTLY. AND ONE THING THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO YOU KNOW AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THESE NUMBERS NOW OR PROBABLY COULD PULL THEM UP IS JUST TO KIND OF GIVE MORE OF A A PICTURE ON BOSTON'S PRODUCTION RATE HOUSING PRODUCTION I KNOW WE'RE A SMALL CITY AND I YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HEAR, YOU KNOW, THESE BIG GOALS FOR SUCH A SMALL CITY BUT I THINK YOU KNOW PER SQUARE MILE RIGHT KIND OF SEEING WHAT THE HOUSING PRODUCTION WAS AND COMPARE THAT TO OTHER CITIES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'LL BE UPDATED BY. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THOSE NUMBERS HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH. YOU DON'T HAVE A TOP FOUR AD THE BASIC ANSWER THOUGH IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE HOUSING PRETTY RAPIDLY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. BUT GETTING IT BUILT IS ANOTHER STORY. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS, COUNCILOR ROLL COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. OKAY. SO AGAIN, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE NEXT PANEL AS WELL BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A LEARNING JOURNEY HERE. I'M I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE POTENTIAL UNITS THAT WE CAN ADD HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON WITH YOU KNOW, THE USE AND ALSO TRIPLE DECKERS, YOU HAVE A KIND OF LIKE A PROJECTION OF WHAT POTENTIAL LEAD THAT COULD LOOK LIKE AND I DON'T I DON'T THINK WE DO. AND PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE HOUSING THAT EXISTS TODAY IS SOMETHING YOU CAN CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN OVER TIME. SO THE RESIDENTIAL REZONING THAT WILL WENT THROUGH IS LESS ABOUT MASSIVE GROWTH AND MORE ABOUT A MORE APPROPRIATE REGULATORY CODE WHICH I WOULD CONTRAST THAT AGAINST THE REZONING WE DID AND IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN CHARLESTOWN WHERE WE SAID HEY THAT INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IF WE CHANGE THE ZONING COULD BE A PLACE FOR 10,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS AND WE GET THAT RIGHT. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LESS GROWTH FOCUSED AND MORE GOVERNMENT FOCUSED. SO I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A NUMBER BUT THAT'S NOT MUCH. THE NUMBER IS NOT WHAT'S DRIVING THIS. SO THE REASON WHY I ASK THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HOUSING CRISIS AND SO TO JUST HAVE A THRESHOLD OR SOME SENSE OF KIND OF WE HAVE YOU KNOW, THESE PARTICULAR STREETS IN DORCHESTER, WE HAVE THIS IN JAMAICA PLAIN I'M THINKING FROM A SENSE OF LIKE ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND WHERE THE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES EXIST SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF A YOU DEVELOPMENT . SO I THINK GREAT IN MATTAPAN IN THE YEAR AND A HALF THAT'S BEEN IN EFFECT AND THAT WAS JUST RIGHT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWING FOLKS TO ADD AN IDEA OR TWO OR THREE UNIT INFILL. THERE HAS BEEN ONE TWO UNIT AND FILL IN THIS AREA AND THEN I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT WERE ADDED SO YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT TO IT TO DEVIN'S POINT I THINK ALSO THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS THAT WE WE PAIRED THIS RESIDENTIAL ZONING AND ALL THE IMPACTS OF IT WITH THE REZONING OF MATTAPAN SQUARE AND BLUE HILL AVE THAT IS MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON GROWTH SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE BUT PROBABLY NOT AS AS HUGE OF QUANTITY OF THE PUZZLE AS SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR GROWTH. GOT IT. AND THEN MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IN REGARDS TO ANY CONSIDERATION AROUND THE AFFORDABILITY OF THESE 80 YOUTHS, ARE WE LOOKING NOW TO YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE MIDDLING IN PEOPLE'S BUSINESS BUT WHAT KIND OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT WE OFFERING TO PEOPLE IN TERMS OF KEEPING THESE UNITS AFFORDABLE? WELL, I THINK THIS BRINGING AN EQUITY LENS THIS COUNCILOR INTENDED IN HIS QUESTION AND I THINK THE AFFORDABILITY LENS YOU'RE BRINGING IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS. ONE THING WE KNOW IS THAT THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROACHING IT TODAY DOES NOT LEND TO AFFORDABILITY. IF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A MULTI MONTH OFTENTIMES MULTI YEAR PROGRAM ZBA PROCESS HIRE ARCHITECTS AND LAWYERS TO GET YOU THROUGH THAT AND DESIGN IT THREE TIMES BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DOESN'T TELL YOU HOW IT IS THAT'S HOW IT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO COSTS. THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO GET PASSED ON TO THE RENTER. SO WE NEED TO CHANGE IT TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY FOR SURE. AND THEN WITH THAT THEN A TRIGGER THE WHOLE IDEA OF LIKE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU BUT IN DOING SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO THEN ALSO BE MINDFUL OF THE AFFORDABILITY FACTOR. I THINK THAT THAT ABSOLUTELY I MEAN THAT'S PART OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS MAKE IT MORE EASY FOR A HOMEOWNER TO ADD AN 80 AND HAVE THEIR AGING PARENT MOVE INTO A WE CAN KEEP ADDING INCOME RESTRICTIONS. NO, THAT'S NOT. AND THEN I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOWN THE JOURNEY AND THEY'RE LIKE OH NOW THE CITY HAS FUNDING SO THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY LEGALIZE YOUR BASEMENT OR LEGALIZE YOUR ATTIC OR MAKE YOUR GARAGE MORE HOME FRIENDLY. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY GONE DOWN THAT PATH AND THERE'S ISSUES AROUND COURSE CORRECTING TO THE POINT THAT COUNCIL OVERALL JUST BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF LIKE IF YOU IF THE HOUSE WAS ZONED FOR TWO FAMILY BUT NOW YOU HAVE A BASEMENT THAT WAS NOT EVEN YOUR INTENTION OF HAVING ANYONE EVEN LIVE THERE. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? DO THEY HAVE TO START ALL OVER FROM SCRATCH IF THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT UPDATING ZONING IS EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM THE UPDATE AT THE SAME TIME INCLUDING FOLKS WHO'VE GONE IN MAYBE GOT ZONING RELIEF OR EXACTLY WHAT WE LEGALIZE. I WILL SAY AT THE START OF EVERY AND EVERY PUBLIC MEETING SOMEONE WHO HAS AN IDEA OR A DREAM OF HOW TO DO THIS OR THE FAMILY ASKS US WELL SHOULD I JUST WAIT TO FILE? AND I SAID NO BECAUSE YOU YOU WILL BENEFIT THE MINUTE THE ZONING PASSES AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO TO REWRITE PROCESSES GET DELAYED SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN . I WANT YOU TO BE IN PROGRESS AND THE MINUTE THAT UPDATE HAPPENS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. AND I JUST SAW THAT MY LIGHT WENT UP MY SOUND AND I'LL JUST END BECAUSE I KNOW WE WILL HAVE A THIRD ROUND OR A SECOND WITH YOU ALL. IS THAT MY MY THING IS AND I WANT TO BE SUPER MINDFUL AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATION AS IS THE NOT IN MY BACKYARD SYNDROME THAT BOSTON HAS AND MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO WE'RE ALWAYS CENTERING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING TO KEEP RESIDENTS HERE. AND I THINK THAT THAT TENSION IS REAL AND AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS IS KIND OF GRAPPLING WITH THAT SENTIMENT WHICH I KNOW THAT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS FOR SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILWOMAN HERE. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THANK YOU, MADAM CHIP. SO I HAVE SEVERAL TECHNICAL QUESTIONS HOPEFULLY CAN GET THROUGH QUICKLY AND THEN TWO MORE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE UP MOST OF THE TIME. ONE DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBER FROM THE STATE ON THEIR ADA USE THAT SHOW ANY POSITIVE TRENDS OF WHAT THE REST OF THE STATE HAS DONE THAT WE COULD SORT OF LOOK TO AT THIS POINT IF THEY DO ISSUE A REPORT ON IT? I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER ON TOP OF MY HEAD I GUESS. BUT DO WE KNOW IF IT'S POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE OTHER POSITIVELY IMPACTING? IN FACT WE WERE PROUD EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT PART OF THE 80 LAW TO WORK TO GET THOSE NUMBERS INTO THE BROADER STATE SORT OF SET OF STATISTICS. ONE OF THE BIG TAKEAWAYS THAT WE HAVE INTERNALLY ACROSS THAT IS THAT WE A BIT OF AN OUTLIER IN THE SENSE THAT ONE WE'RE BIGGER BUT ALSO THAT ISSUE OF THE ATTACHED VERSUS INTERNAL WE HAVE TO CHASE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT GOALPOST IN THEIR KINDS OF METRICS. SO EVEN AS WE'RE WORKING ON IT, YOU KNOW THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES THERE BUT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT JOB TO DO. THANK YOU. I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER THIS ONE BUT TECHNICALLY THE DEFINED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHEN WE WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS CHART, THIS BAR CHART BETWEEN ADDITIONS SLASH EXPANSION AND ADDITIONAL UNIT, WHAT IS THE TECHNICALITY WE'RE SAYING? WELL I'M JUST GOING TO EXPAND MY HOUSE AND IT'LL BE AN ADU OR I'M GOING TO PUT ON AN 80. YOU JUST MAKE MYSELF A NEW LIVING ROOM. SO YOUR NEW LIVING ROOM OR YOUR NEW EXPANDED KITCHEN IS YOUR ADDITION SLASH EXPANSION AND YOUR ADDITIONAL UNIT IS THAT YOU RECONFIGURED SPACE TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL UNIT. SO THE TECHNICALITIES IN THE LIKE BE CLEARLY STATED IN THE RECONFIGURATION IS ADDING THAT ADDING THE UNIT AS A USE VERSUS THE EXPANDING THE SIZE OF YOUR BUILDING A KITCHEN, A BATHROOM, A BEDROOM, SEPARATE EGRESS AS AND WHEN IT HITS A UNIT THRESHOLD THINGS LIKE FIRE PROTECTION. SO IN MANY CASES ACTUALLY JUST TO VERY MUCH UNDERSCORE IT, YOU CAN GET A LOT OF WHAT WE THINK OF AS AN ADU THROUGH AN EXPANSION WITHOUT INCURRING ALL THOSE COSTS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO BOTH QUICK ABUTTERS RIGHT TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS. DO WE SEE ANYTHING I MEAN I KNOW LIKE IF MY NEIGHBOR SAID I'M PUTTING THE FENCE UP THERE'S NOT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RECOURSE, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE THAT'S YOUR PROPERTY. YOU WANT TO PUT A FENCE UP, SO BE IT. IF THIS GOES AS OF RIGHT, I ASSUME THAT SORT OF FOLLOWS SORT OF THE SAME JOHN AND PUTTING UP AN TO YOU YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY CAN'T FIGHT THIS OR ANYTHING BUT IS THERE ANY CONCERN IN THERE ABOUT TAKING VOICE AWAY FROM ABUTTERS WHERE I KNOW WE HAVE COUNCILMAN HIS POINT WE CAN BE A VERY NIMBY TOWN A LOT ESPECIALLY WHEN DIRECTLY IMPACTS ARE ON HOMES. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH BOTH OWNERS AND THE CITY IS PERMITTING A REFORM TEAM ABOUT WHAT LIKE TYPE OF A GOOD NEIGHBOR MEETING MIGHT LOOK LIKE UNDER RIGHT AND AS A RIGHT SYSTEM AND ALSO JUST BETTER MAKING IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS PART OF UPDATED PERMITTING SOFTWARE SO THAT FOLKS AREN'T GOING AROUND AND STATE LIKE TAPING EIGHT BY 11 PRINT OUT PEOPLE'S DOORS SO THAT WHILE YOU AS AN A BUTLER AREN'T NECESSARILY GOING TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT THAT PROJECT FROM HAPPENING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS HAPPENING, THAT YOU WOULD KNOW WHO TO CONTACT IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM YOU'D KNOW WHO TO CALL IT IS IF THERE'S ISSUES WITH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S ONGOING THAT ARE IMPACTING YOU AND I THINK THAT'S THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE IF WE REALLY DO CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT OF CITY STAFF TIME THAT SPENT ON THE SORT OF A BUTLER MEETING PROCESS SERVING THE ZBA WE CAN RE DEVOTE THAT STAFF TO BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETIMES THESE MORE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN ABUTTERS AND A SOMEONE BUILDING AN IDEA OR ANOTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. THANK YOU PROBABLY ONLY GET TO ONE OF THESE BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I FIGURED I'D ASK BECAUSE I HAVE YOU ALL IN FRONT OF ME AND THIS WOULD BE THE FOLKS THAT COULD GIVE ME A GOOD ANSWER HERE I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE IN THE FAMILY I CALL THEM THEY'RE ALL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. RIGHT. BUT WE'RE RESIDENTIAL IS WHERE IT'S MOSTLY SINGLE AND TWO FAMILY HOMES MAYBE SOME THREE FAMILY HOMES. A DEVELOPER WILL COME IN. THEY'LL BUY THE SINGLE FAMILY UNIT AND SAY I'M GOING TO PUT SIX TOWNHOUSES AND YOU KNOW, WHATEVER AND WITH ONLY FOUR PARKING SPOTS IN THIS AND IT SOME CAN BE EGREGIOUS BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE 6 TO 14 PLUS UNITS AND SOME ARE EVEN YOU KNOW I SAY 14 PLUS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM EVEN PROPOSED THE 24 UNITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT THAT AND SO I GET CONCERNED SOME SAYING ONE, YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT £10 ON A £5 AND TWO YOU ARE INSTINCTIVELY CHANGING THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE A LOT OF THESE HOUSES ARE GENERATIONAL LONG TERM FAMILIES LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE'S DREAMS JUST OWN YOUR OWN HOME WITH YOUR OWN FRONT YARD, YOUR LITTLE PIECE OF THE ROCK AND THEN TYPICALLY THESE 614 PLUS UNITS I WOULD THINK HISTORICALLY ARE VERY TRANSIENT AND THEY THEY'RE NOT SO MUCH PEOPLE THAT ARE AND I'M I DON'T KNOW THAT'S RIGHT I'M JUST SAYING THE PEOPLE I COULD SEE LIVING IN A 14 UNIT BUILDING AND NOT SOMEONE SAYING WE GOT IT WE'RE HERE FOR LIFE TYPICALLY I SEE THE PEOPLE THERE AS TURNING OVER A LOT AND SO I JUST WONDER ABOUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED A LOT IN SOME OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS HERE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPROACH IT BECAUSE I KNOW HOUSING IS A NEED AND SO YOU SAYING WHAT IS 24 MORE UNITS BUT IT'S INSTINCTIVELY CHANGING THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH. SO I WILL SAY RIGHT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD REALLY CLEARLY IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON WHICH HAS A HUGE A REALLY LARGE AMOUNT OF RENTAL HOUSING AND VERY COMPARATIVELY LOW HOMEOWNERSHIP HOUSING COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE CITY IS HOW MUCH FOLKS WANT OWNERSHIP BUT ALSO JUST HOUSING STABILITY. RIGHT. AND I THINK LIKE A FLIPSIDE OF TRANSIT IS DISPLACEMENT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 6 TO 14 UNIT SCALE WE'RE ASKING REALLY INTENTIONALLY AND STUDYING IT IS WHAT ARE THE MOVES THAT MAKE THAT MORE LIKELY TO BE AN OWNERSHIP PRODUCT AND ARE THERE POLICY CHANGES THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER FOR THAT TO GET DELIVERED AS A HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECT? BECAUSE IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEED WE NEED WE HAVE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP ACROSS THE CITY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VACANT LOTS TO DELIVER AT ALL AS ONE AND TWO UNIT BUILDINGS GOING FORWARD IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IT'S A VERY EXPLICIT QUESTION WE'RE HEARING IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE INTO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EVERY HOUSING TYPOLOGY THAT WE'RE PLANNING AND ZONING FOR. AND I THINK WE COULD HAVE A REALLY ROBUST DISCUSSION OF HOW MUCH GROWTH IS TOO MUCH GROWTH AND WHERE DOES THAT GROWTH BELONG. BUT MAYBE THERE'S AN EASY ANSWER TO THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE STARTING THIS CONVERSATION FROM WHERE WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION FROM IS 99% OF THE HOUSES THAT EXIST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY CAN'T BE REBUILT. THEY DISAPPEARED TODAY WITHOUT GOING TO A VARIANCE. SO I THINK THE WAY TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF A CONSTITUENT THAT MIGHT RAISE IT THE WAY YOU JUST SAID COUNCILOR IS TO SAY WHEN EVERYTHING IS UP FOR DEBATE THEN AND THEN IT'S IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER OF WHAT TO PROPOSE. SO WE LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR WILD PROPOSALS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE IT FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ZONING CODE WE'D LIKE TO GET A ZONING CODE THAT IS ENFORCEABLE AND SO CONSTRAINS THE DISCUSSIONS TO THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY SAID ARE APPROPRIATE WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THAT WOULD HELP WITH SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE OUT OF OUT OF SCALE FOR PARTICULAR DISTRICTS. THANK YOU. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP AND I WOULD SAY MY FIFTH QUESTION WAS THE PHILOSOPHIC APPROACH OF ZONING VERSUS LOSING LEVERAGE IN THE ZONING WHEN YOU WHICH I THINK IS A CLASSIC DEBATE AND I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE PAST AS WELL BUT I'LL SAVE THAT FOR MY SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN I HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME MODERATING THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO LIKE CHIME IN BUT I KNOW COUNCILOR CLAUDE IS A PART I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO NEXT BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY LOSING INVESTMENT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I RUN INTO DEVELOPERS WHO LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHO ARE DEVELOPING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, TENNESSEE, GEORGIA WHERE I'M FROM AND THE IDEA THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE MADE A TON OF MONEY OFF OF THE YOU KNOW, OFF OF THEIR 200 K ONE FAMILY HOUSE THAT SOLD FOR $2.1 MILLION. IT IS UNAFFORDABLE TO LIVE HERE AND I THINK FOLKS LIKE ME I I REPRESENT A VERY SPECIFIC VOICE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. I MOVED HERE TEN YEARS AGO. I THINK I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE AND I KNOW WHEN I MOVED HERE MAKING $45,000 THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE WITHOUT A LOT OF STRESS. I MEAN CARDS DECLINING, YOU KNOW, AT RESTAURANTS LEVEL STRESS AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE BOLDER. I THINK THAT WE NEED INVESTMENT. I THINK THAT WE'RE IN A MOMENT IN OUR CITY WHERE WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHO ARE CITIES FOR. AND SO I TAKE THESE CONVERSATIONS REALLY PERSONALLY ONLY BECAUSE I'M THE PERSON WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE WITHOUT NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE I LIVE. SO AND IT'S I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS LOOK AT THE SEAPORT AND THEY LOOK AT OTHER INVESTMENTS AND THEY SAY LIKE OH, THAT'S NOT FOR ME. BUT THE REASON THAT MY APARTMENT IS AFFORDABLE IS BECAUSE OF THE SEAPORT WAS BUILT AND SO THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT. THERE IS ALSO NO DISPLACEMENT WITHOUT DEVELOPMENT OR MOVIE SAYING THAT INCORRECTLY BUT ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPMENT DISPLACES BUT THE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT ALSO JUST PLACES AND SO WITHOUT CONTINUING TO BUILD HOUSING AND CONTINUING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND CONTINUING TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS, WE WE STAND TO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF BOSTONIANS TO LIVE HERE. AND SO YOU KNOW, I, I MEET FOLKS AND I THINK THIS IS ALL VERY PERSONAL BUT IT'S LIKE WE MEET FOLKS THAT LIVE IN OUR THAT LIVED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOW LIVE IN THE SUBURBS AND THEY'VE HAD TO MAKE THE HARD DECISION OF NO LONGER BEING BOSTONIANS TO SOME THAT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, GREAT THEY MADE A LOT OF MONEY OFF OF THAT DECISION AND BUT IT WAS STILL A REALLY HARD DECISION TO MAKE. SO THE QUESTION OF ZONING IS ONE OF HOW WHO DO WE WANT TO EXCLUDE FROM THE CITY? THAT'S THAT'S REALLY HOW I FEEL . IT'S YOU KNOW AND SO IT'S IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE YOU KNOW ZEBA AT THIS MORNING AND WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A SPECIFIC BLOCK. I'M REPRESENTING FIVE VERY DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS EVERY DAY. BUT IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE NICE IF WE HAD TO MAKE LESS OF THOSE DECISIONS IF THERE WERE LESS THINGS THAT NEEDED VARIANCE AS IF IF MORE THINGS WERE AS OF RIGHT AND I KNOW THE WAY THE ADMINISTRATION HAS APPROACHED THIS IS BY TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST REASONABLE THINGS AS OF RIGHT. BUT I JUST DO WANT TO PUSH TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD GO BOLDER THAN JUST MAKING REASONABLE THINGS AS OF RIGHT BECAUSE WE DON'T END UP WITH THIS AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IF WE'RE ACTUALLY LEADING AND WE HAVE OTHER CITIES THAT LIKE ARE ALREADY DOING OR HAVE ALREADY ELIMINATED SINGLE FAMILY ZONING HAVE ALREADY MADE, YOU KNOW, UP 6 HOURS OF RIGHT AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A BIG CITY AND YET WE'RE WE'RE BEHIND AND I THINK WHEN I LOOK IN THE EYES OF, YOU KNOW, THE NORTHEASTERN STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS AND THE STUDENTS THE 12 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN MY DISTRICT ARE FOLKS THAT WANT TO YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH BRAIN DRAIN BECAUSE IT'S IT'S THESE $5,000 ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS IN MY DISTRICT ARE NOT GOING TO CUT IT AND WITHOUT I DON'T KNOW THAT'S JUST MY ADVICE. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS BUT I WILL JUST I WILL SEND THOSE TO YOU FOR THE RECORD AND I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO GET I KNOW ONE COLLEAGUE THAT'S LEFT AND I KNOW WE NEED TO GET TO THE NEXT PANEL BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT LIKE WE NEED TO THINK BOLDER. WE NEED TO DO MORE. I THINK THE PLANNING INITIATIVES THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT I HAVE SUPPORTED. BUT THERE ARE TIMES IN WHICH I HAVE ALREADY SUPPORTED SOMETHING AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS GONE BACK AND WATERED IT DOWN AFTER I WAS ALREADY IN SUPPORT AND I THINK WE NEED TO JUST PUSH OURSELVES TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WHO IS IT FOR? IS IT FOR PEOPLE WHO AND I THINK PEOPLE OFTEN CONFLATE, YOU KNOW, GLASS TOWERS AND TOTNES WITH UNAFFORDABILITY BUT THE THE REASON THAT IT'S UNAFFORDABLE IS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BUILT ENOUGH HOUSING ANY TYPE OF HOUSING. SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT AND COUNCILOR CLAUDE, AS A FATHER YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I'M SORRY THAT I WAS LATE BUT I WAS LISTENING IN HOUSING IT'S BEEN SAID ALREADY A MILLION TIMES AND I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME BUT HOUSING COSTS ARE SKYROCKETING AND I DO THINK THAT THIS IS ONE TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX WHICH IS TRYING TO MODERNIZE AN OUTDATED ZONING CODE WE'VE ALREADY HAD PLAN EAST AND PLAN CHARLESTOWN DEMONSTRATE IN A THOUGHTFUL AND NUANCED WAY TO PLANNING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. I DO HAVE TO SAY AND PUT IN A POINT ON MY OWN WHERE IT'S BOSTON SAW EXPONENTIAL GROWTH BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020 AND OUR RENTS WENT UP 224% AND THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DISPLACEMENT. SO YOU STILL I MEAN WE I THINK THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT PLAN FOR THE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, DID NOT HAVE THE AFFORDABILITY CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE NOW. AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. BUT I THINK THAT THAT DEMONSTRATES TRUE IN EAST BOSTON IN PARTICULAR WHERE FOLKS FROM FROM MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS ESPECIALLY THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WAS DISPLACED OF THE BUILDING THAT WAS HAPPENING THERE AND UNLESS WE ARE SUPER INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY AND KEEPING AFFORDABILITY AND I'VE GONE ON RECORD ALREADY TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TO HAVE A 20% IDP LIKE THAT IS AND TRIED I THINK WE CAN'T MOVE AWAY FROM THAT WHILE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE ZONING CODE IS OUTDATED AND WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD SUPPLY TO EASE THE DEMAND. SO I'M OF TWO MINDS ON THIS AND I THINK AGAIN THE PLAN IS BOSTON PLAN IN CHARLESTOWN WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF A GREAT COMMUNITY PROCESS AND WHILE I DIDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH ALL OF IT, I DO THINK THAT IT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HOMEOWNERSHIP ESPECIALLY REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS TO BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH WITHIN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND TO USE EXPAND ON THAT OPPORTUNITY. THAT IS TO SAY THAT THERE IS HOMEOWNERSHIP EVEN WITHIN FAMILIES IN EAST BOSTON AND I KNOW IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS A TRIPLE DECKER CAN NOW GO FOR OVER $1,000,000 1.5 EVEN BEYOND THAT 2 MILLION AND IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO COMPETE AGAINST DEVELOPERS WHO ARE WELL-RESOURCED AND HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL THAT AREN'T FROM BOSTON THAT ARE OF A CERTAIN HOMOGENOUS DEMOGRAPHIC THAT DOESN'T REFLECT BOSTON. AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEW PROGRAM WITH THE ADMINISTRATION WHERE THEIR SHARED BUYING POWER AND BEING ABLE TO PUT MONEY DOWN WITH A FRIEND OR A PARTNER FOR A MORTGAGE WHICH I THINK IS GREAT. I THINK IT DOES GET TO THE POINT WHERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE SORT OF CAPITAL RESOURCES THAT EVEN THE PROCESS ITSELF COULD BE ONEROUS AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED THROUGH IT SO AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES. I THINK WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR I REMEMBER SPEAKING ABOUT HOW ONEROUS AND BURDENSOME IT IS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE READY TO SUBMIT WITH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ARCHITECTS GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND I DO APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE I THINK IT WAS THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO HAD SAID ABOUT HAVING A DESIGNATED LIST OF PREFERRED GOOD ACTORS PEOPLE THAT WE CAN PULL FROM THAT WILL PROVIDE CONCIERGE SERVICE FOR PEOPLE FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. RIGHT. HAVE YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LEGALITIES OF THAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? CAN YOU EXPAND ON IT JUST SO WE CAN THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A DUAL BENEFIT WHERE WE COULD UTILIZE IT TO BRING IN BIPOC BUSINESSES TOO SO THAT WE'RE MEETING CERTAIN GOALS THERE SO TO SPEAK ON IT. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WELL IF YOU KNOW MORE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION A LITTLE BIT MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE TEAM WHO'S OUT THERE TRYING TO PROMOTE THESE THINGS EVERY DAY TO DAY AND WE'RE THINKING A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FUTURE ABOUT HOW TO GET THEM TO BE AS OF RIGHT. BUT I THINK IN GENERAL THE ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS YES, THAT DOES EXIST FOR APPLICANTS THROUGH OUR LOAN GRANT PROGRAM WHERE WHERE IF YOU'RE A AN INCOME ELIGIBLE HOMEOWNER THERE ARE TOOLS THROUGH THE BOSTON HOME CENTER TO HELP YOU GET CONNECTED TO YOUR PREFERRED CONTRACTORS THAT THERE'S A CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY THAT HELPS BE THAT MIDDLEMAN BETWEEN THE HOMEOWNER AND THE CONTRACTOR. IT HELPS SORT OF EASE THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND YOU KNOW THAT MUCH THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTRACTORS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY. BUT THAT'S IT'S ALL THAT BEING SAID THAT'S SORT OF NICHE BECAUSE THAT'S FOR A SMALL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH AN INCOME ELIGIBLE PROGRAM AND WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO EXPAND THAT TO MAKE IT BROADLY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE AND TO PARAPHRASE THE GUIDANCE THAT I'VE SEEN AND THE WAIT STAFF GIVE ON ONE ON ONE FEEDBACK THE CITY IT'S A AS YOU'VE NOTED IT'S SORT OF A TRICKY THING WHERE IT'S NOT THE JOB OF THE CITY TO PLAY FAVORITES AND SORT OF ANOINT SPECIFIC ARCHITECTURE CONTRACTORS TO SOLVE PROBLEM AND EXACTLY AT THE SAME TIME IT IS ABSOLUTELY A GOAL OF THE CITY TO HELP EXPLAIN THIS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFUSED ABOUT IT AND SO IN THE MEANTIME I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY PRIVATE GROUPS THE BOSTON CENTER OF ARCHITECTS HAS A LIST THAT THEY ADVERTISE WHERE THEY WORK WITH THEIR MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK ON ISSUES AND THE CITY HAPPILY SORT OF DIRECTS HOMEOWNERS TO CONSULT SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES . BUT I CAN AT LEAST AFFIRM THAT THAT QUESTION IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK AND I'M SO SORRY I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE 228 EXCUSE ME 226 AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN PERMITTED CITYWIDE. ARE WE GATHERING AND DO WE HAVE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWNS OF WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THESE PROGRAMS BY RACE, ETHNICITY OR NOT CURRENTLY IN FACT I WOULD SAY EVEN GETTING TO THE 2022 HAS BEEN CORRECTLY AND HERCULEAN LIFT. ONE OF THE TRICKY THINGS IS SOMETHING WHICH ALL OF YOU MENTIONED WHICH IS THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING FROM THE IDEA OF AN 8220 BUILDING THE THING TO SOME SORT OF REGULATORY PROCESS AROUND IT THAT IS AN EVERGREEN EFFORT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO FIND MORE INFORMATION BUT EACH OF COURSE HAS THAT DATA FOR THEIR RECIPIENTS OF THEIR LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS. SO FOLKS WHO ARE RECEIVING SORT OF CITY FUNDING, THEY'RE THEY CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT PANEL. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL REALLY VIEW AND JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. SO NEXT WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SECOND PANEL. I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNSELOR SANTANA'S TEAM. I IT'S CLEAR LIKE HE'S GOT THE PANELS DOWN FOR HIS HEARINGS. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO PUT TOGETHER SUCH AN INCREDIBLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE GROUP OF PANELISTS. SO FEEL FREE TO COME DOWN AND SIT. WE TRIED TO PUT AS MANY CHAIRS AS WE COULD SO I BUT I'M SURE YOU GUYS CAN FIGURE IT OUT. YOU WILL BE ALL RIGHT. OKAY. JOSH MET THIS GUY. HE'S HE'S GOING TO COME BACK HERE. NICOLE OKAY, PERFECT. SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES SO WE'RE GOING TO GO LEFT TO RIGHT BUT AGAIN I THINK I TOLD EVERYONE A MINUTE AND A HALF BUT TRY TO GO AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND TODAY. SO BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE PANEL. THANK YOU. GO HAVE TO WRITE OR YEAH, YOU GOT IT. HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS MELVIN AVERY JUNIOR. I'M PAST PRESIDENT THE GREATER BOSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. I'VE ALSO BEEN SELLING REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 38 YEARS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'VE WATCHED BOSTON GO FROM ONE LEVEL TO THE NEXT AND I'VE WATCHED HOW THESE THREE FAMILY HOMES HAVE BECOME WHERE THEY WERE GENERATIONAL HOMES TO NOW WHERE THEY'VE BEEN BROKEN APART AND TURNED TO CONDOS BECAUSE OF LACK OF REAL ESTATE. ALSO I'VE TAUGHT REAL URBAN LAND PLANNING AND ALMOST ALSO PART OF YOU APPLY AS WELL AND AS MANY OF THE THINGS I CAN TALK ABOUT BUT I'D RATHER PASS IT DOWN TO MY OTHER ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES. THEY GO AHEAD AND SAY WHO THEY ARE AS WELL. OKAY, PERFECT. PERFECT TIMING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS, I'M JACKIE MCCARTHY. I'M THE NEW DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS THE GREATER BOSTON REAL ESTATE BOARD. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. SO WE'VE GOT MEMBERS LIKE MR VIEIRA, OUR PAST PRESIDENT WHO CAN PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES AS YOU EMBARK ON THIS REALLY IMPORTANT EFFORT TO LEGALIZE WHAT I'VE SEEN DESCRIBED AS WORKHORSES OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND HOMEOWNERSHIP AND IN AN ICONIC ARCHITECTURE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND STAYING ENGAGED. THANKS. THANK YOU. I THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. COUNCILORS I'M JESSE HANSON. BAD UP ON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ABUNDANT HOUSING MASSACHUSETTS WHERE A STATEWIDE PRO HOUSING ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION. I'M ALSO A BOSTON RESIDENT I WOULD SAY OUR ORGANIZATION WAS I WOULD SAY PROUD THE ORGANIZATION PROBABLY MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PASSAGE OF TO USE AS OF RIGHT STATEWIDE UNDER THE AFFORDABLE HOMES ACT LAST YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE ADMINISTRATION, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A BILL ON BEACON HILL TO INSTITUTE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO HELP LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PROPERTY OWNERS ACROSS THE STATE ACCESS FUNDING TO BUILD AID TO USE ON THEIR PROPERTIES. WE'VE ALSO SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE METEOR COMMUNITIES ACT WHICH REQUIRES BY RIGHT TRIPLE DECKER LEVEL DENSITY ZONING FOR TRIPLE DECKER LEVEL DENSITY IN 177 CITIES AND TOWNS OUTSIDE OF BOSTON. WE KNOW THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS ARE READY FOR THESE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE POLICIES AS WELL. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL SAW SOME POLLING THAT WE DID EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT SPOKE TO THAT WITH 80% OF BOSTON RESIDENTS SUPPORTING A TO USE ZONING AS OF RIGHT 77% ACTUALLY SUPPORT CAMBRIDGE STYLE SIX STOREY BUILDING CITYWIDE SO CERTAINLY FOLKS ARE READY FOR SIX STOREY BUILDING SO READY FOR A TRIPLE DECKERS AS WELL. REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO THESE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE POLICIES EXPEDITIOUSLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS AND WE'RE LOSING AS BOSTON. OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS WENDY PASCAL. I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER AT THE BOSTON SOCIETY FOR ARCHITECTURE LEADING OUR ORGANIZATION'S HOUSING EFFORTS ORGANIZATION IS THE REGION'S LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND ALSO A CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. AND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WE LED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AND THE MAYOR'S HOUSING INNOVATION LAB, AN INITIATIVE TITLED CO-CREATING BOSTON'S FUTURE DÉCOR WHERE WE STUDIED TO EXAMINE THE DESIGN OF THE HISTORIC TRIPLE DECKER AND THEN LOOKED AT SMART SMALL PARCELS ACROSS THE CITY TO DETERMINE WHERE WE COULD ENVISION THE FUTURE OF THIS BUILDING TYPOLOGY. HELLO, MY NAME IS JILLIAN WALL . I'M WITH REFRAME SYSTEMS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AS WELL. WE ARE AN OFFSITE MODULAR MANUFACTURER BASED IN ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS. WE FOCUS ON THE KIND OF SMALL 82 MISSING MIDDLE 6 TO 12 UNIT HOUSING SCALE IN ANDOVER AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF ADVOCATE FOR OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION AS A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO HELP UNLOCK THESE INFILTRATES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO TRIPLE DECKERS GOING IN SOMERVILLE THAT VARIOUS STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION WE SET THE FIRST ONE IN FOUR DAYS WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF TIME IN THIS VERY KIND OF DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD OF EQUIPMENT ON SITE. SO KIND OF REALLY EXCITED TO ADVOCATE FOR OFFSITE SOLUTIONS AS A CONSIDERATION AND REWRITING THE ZONING RULE SETS . I I'M LYNNE SANDERS I'M A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR DORCHESTER GROWING TOGETHER, A NEIGHBORHOOD BASED CIVIC ORGANIZATION WITH OVER 150 MEMBERS FOUNDED IN 2018 TO ALLEVIATE THE HOUSING CRISIS AND PRESERVE OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY BY ADVOCATING FOR BUILDING ABUNDANT HOUSING AT ALL PAST PRICE POINTS THROUGHOUT DORCHESTER. DORCHESTER GROWING TOGETHER BELIEVES ALLOWING A TO USE AND UP TO FOUR STORY STRUCTURES HAS TO BE BUILT AS A RIGHT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT BASELINE FOR MORE COMMON SENSE DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING AFFORDABLE OPTIONS FOR A LONG TIME COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO STAY AND FOR NEW NEIGHBORS TO COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES. I'M A 20 YEAR BOSTON RESIDENT AND HAVE LIVED FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS IN A DORCHESTER CONDO IN THAT IS THE SECOND FLOOR OF A TRIPLE DECKER BUILT AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY WHEN THEY WERE ALLOWED AND ON A STREET FULL OF SIMILAR BUILDINGS THAT HAVE ALLOWED GENERATIONS OF IMMIGRANT TO ESTABLISH ECONOMIC STABILITY, I PURCHASED CONDO IN 2012 THROUGH A MASS HOUSING FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM WHILE I WAS WORKING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY I DO NOT THINK A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL IN A SIMILAR FINANCIAL SITUATION COULD HAVE IN THE CURRENT HOUSING MARKET TODAY AND THROUGHOUT MY CAREER I HAVE WORKED IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION POLICY AND RESEARCH AND INCLUDING WORKING FOR CODMAN SQUARE AND D.C. AS THE DIRECTOR OF OVERSEEING FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAMS HOUSING AND FORECLOSURE COUNSELING AND HOME REPAIR LOANS, SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS. I HAVE ALSO SERVED AS A CHAIR OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FOR GREATER ASHMONT MAIN STREET FOR FIVE YEARS AND ENGAGE EXTENSIVELY IN LOCAL CIVIC ASSOCIATION PTA MEETINGS SERVED ON IMPACTED GROUPS. I SEE A DIRE NEED TO CUT RED TAPE AND REGULATIONS AND CREATE MORE DIVERSE HOUSING THAT WORKS FOR PEOPLE IN A OF SITUATIONS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. DORCHESTER BUT ALL OVER THE CITY AND THIS IS ONE FIRST STEP TO DO THAT I CAN JUST SCOOT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ROOM FOR EVERYONE. I WAS JUST GOING TO SQUEEZE IN HERE. WE'RE MANAGING OUR OWN KIND OF DENSITY RIGHT OVER HERE. I MEAN WE CAN WE CAN EXIST TOGETHER. WE SURE CAN. I'M ANTHONY FLYNN, SENIOR FELLOW AT THE LINCOLN INSTITUTE OF LAND POLICY. WE'RE ACROSS THE RIVER IN CAMBRIDGE PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND POLICY GUIDANCE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING ZONING AND CODE REFORM INNOVATIONS LIKE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS AND FACILITATING MANUFACTURED AND PREASSEMBLED HOMES. OUR CENTER FOR GEOSPATIAL SOLUTIONS USES GIS MAPPING TO IDENTIFY BUILDABLE LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDABLE PUBLIC LAND INCLUDING PUBLIC PLAN AND A RECENTLY REINVIGORATED WEBSITE ONLINE RESOURCE CALLED VISUALIZING DENSITY WHICH I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CHECK OUT AND IT HELPS EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT 15 UNITS PER ACRE ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN REALITY AND HOW IT HOW IT FUNCTIONS. I BRING A BIT OF A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AS I'VE PUBLISHED SEVERAL ARTICLES ON DENSITY AND DESIGN AND SPECIFICALLY TRIPLE DECKERS. MY QUICK OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRIPLE DECKERS IS REALLY A REMARKABLE AND PRACTICAL RESPONSE TO THE NEED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING AT THE TIME AND I THINK REPRESENTS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF GO BACK TO THE FUTURE TO NOT ONLY PRESERVE AND UPDATE THAT KIND OF HOUSING BUT DEVELOP THE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING THAT YOU'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY. THE TRIPLE DECKER IS A MODEL FOR THIS TYPE OF GENTLE DENSITY AND I WOULD ARGUE A REAL TREASURE BASICALLY INVENTED HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND AS QUINTESSENTIALLY BOSTON AS A MEDIUM HOT DUNCAN SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO DESIGN AND DENSITY AND HOW THIS KIND OF HOUSING CAN EASILY FIT INTO THE FABRIC OF EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU COUNCILORS FOR CONVENING THIS HEARING AND BEING HERE THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. BRANDON STANWAY. I AM A SOCIAL SCIENTIST BY TRADE BUT I AM HERE BECAUSE. I AM AN AUSTIN BREADON RESIDENT OF FIVE YEARS AND AM PART OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED AUSTIN BRAIN HOUSING ACTION WHICH IS A NEIGHBORHOOD BASED GROUP ADVOCATING AROUND BUILDING MORE HOUSING, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, MOBILITY AND GENERAL COMMUNITY JOY AND PROSPEROUS LIVING. AND WE FORMED THIS GROUP LAST YEAR ALMOST A YEAR AGO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. AROUND BUILDING THIS POSITIVE IS NOT ONLY FOR AUSTIN BRIGHTON BUT FOR THE CITY AT LARGE AND THAT COMES WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS WE WANT TO SEE MORE HOUSING DENSITY, MORE HOUSING UP OR HOUSING OUT REFORMING THE PROCESS FOR PERMITTING AND DEVELOPING THAT HOUSING GETTING RID OF ONEROUS SETBACKS AS WELL AS HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT PREVENT HOUSING FROM BEING BUILT THAT DON'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE AS WELL AS FIXING SOME OF OUR MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WE CAN'T BUILD THE DENSE HOUSING THAT WE WANT IF PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE. THERE'S TOO MANY HOUSES FOR CARS THAT WE CAN'T HAVE HOUSES FOR PEOPLE AND THEY CAN'T GET TO THE PLACES THEY WANT TO GO AND THEN ALSO BUILDING FOR A GREEN FUTURE OR IN A WARMING WORLD WE HAVE A LOT OF SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY TREES OR AWNINGS ON BUILDINGS BECAUSE OF REGULATIONS THAT THE CITY PUTS IN PLACE THAT PREVENT THOSE THINGS FROM HAPPENING. AND WE ALSO FORMED AROUND HOLDING THE CITY AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE. YOU KNOW, WE THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY UNITS WERE BEING BUILT AND YOU KNOW, ARE RENTS GOING DOWN OR WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH RENTS. YOU KNOW, WE HEAR EVERY YEAR ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE DEVELOPED AND IT'S ALWAYS LAUDED AS YOU KNOW ,A GRAND ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE PERMITTED I THINK MAYBE LIKE 2300 UNITS LAST YEAR WHEN COMPARABLE CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES DEVELOPED SO MUCH MORE. BUT LIKE MINNEAPOLIS AND AUSTIN FIND THEIR RENTS GOING DOWN OR NOT INCREASING AS FAST AND WE'RE SITTING HERE SAYING 2300 UNITS AND RENTS INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY ARE IS AN ACHIEVEMENT. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT OTHER TENANTS HAVE TO SAY AND WHAT QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GREAT TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPERTS AND FOLKS IN REAL ESTATE LIKE ALL ON THE SAME PANEL AND IN INFRASTRUCTURE SHARE COMPONENT OF SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I'M GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE LEAD SPONSOR. WE'RE GOING TO DO 5 MINUTES AGAIN BUT WE MAY HAVE TIME FOR A SECOND DEPENDING ON HOW MANY COUNCILORS GO. SO COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO HIS AMAZING PANELISTS. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. OH SORRY. BEFORE I SAY THAT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE PANEL AND I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE EVERY SINGLE QUESTION BECAUSE AND BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO ALLOW 5 MINUTES AND IF YOU GUYS ARE STILL FINISHING I'M GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. SORRY, I'LL START YOUR DIAGRAM . THAT'S A GOOD SLIDE THERE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. BENCHES WANT TO START JUST BECAUSE WE JUST HEARD SO MUCH FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND BACK AND FORTH JUST KIND OF A FEW OF YOU MAYBE JESSIE WOULD LIKE TO DEFINITELY HEAR FROM ABOUT THE HOUSING AND JUST THE THOUGHTS ON THE ON THE FIRST PANEL AND WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AND IF ANYTHING KIND OF STUCK OUT. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON IT. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE MEMBERS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO I KNOW HAVE BEEN DOING SOME REALLY HARD WORK TO UNROLL UNRAVEL ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLEX ZONING CODE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON . YOU KNOW EARLY IN THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH SARAH BROWN AND THE NATIONAL EXPERT ON ZONING CREATOR OF THE NATIONAL ZONING ATLAS TO DO AN EXAMINATION OF THE BOSTON ZONING CODE AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COUNCILOR PEPEN WHO REFERRED TO IT EARLIER IN THIS HEARING ABOUT HOW LONG COMPLICATED, INEFFICIENT AND INEQUITABLE THAT ZONING CODE IS. AND I RECOGNIZE IS THAT IT IS AGAIN VERY DIFFICULT TO UNRAVEL . IT'S MANY, MANY YEARS OF VERY NEIGHBORHOODS SPECIFIC ZONING THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE WITH DIFFERENT PARKING REQUIREMENTS ,DIFFERENT DENSITIES AND IT'S RESULTED IN THIS CASE THAT WE'RE IN WHERE IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO BUILD THE HOMES THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS NEED. LOOK, I THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR THE FACT THAT ON THE TOPIC OF THE USE THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED IN HER STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS IN JANUARY 2023 THAT THEY WOULD BE ROLLING OUT A LEGALIZATION THAT YEAR. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 20, 25. WE DON'T HAVE THAT CITYWIDE YET IN THAT TIME THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED ADU SO SLOW. LEGISLATURE PASSED A COMPREHENSIVE BILL THAT INCLUDED A BUY RIGHT ADU LEGALIZATION IN A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STATE WHERE SINGLE FAMILY ZONES ARE ALLOWED AND THE STATE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING LIVABLE COMMUNITIES HAS WRITTEN AND PROMULGATED REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING THAT LAW SO NOW PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF RESIDENTIAL LAND ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS CAN BUILD AN ADU AS OF RIGHT. YET MOST PROPERTY OWNERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON CANNOT. I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE A LOT OF SMALL PIECES OF ZONING THAT NEED TO BE ROLLED BACK. I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY TRUE THAT BOSTON IS SUCH A UNIQUE OUTLIER. THERE ARE OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE THAT WERE COVERED BY THE ADA LEGALIZATION. I THINK WORCESTER I THINK AT WORCESTER OR SPRINGFIELD OR LOWELL SOME OLDER CITIES LIKE BOSTON THAT HAVE SMALL TIGHT LOTS WHERE THEY ARE NOW REQUIRED TO ALLOW YOU TO USE AS OF RIGHT AND THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP THEIR OWN ZONING CODE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CERTAINLY A USE AND MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING MOVE FASTER. I THINK WE ALL KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW THAT I FEEL LIKE IT WAS THESE IMPORTANT ZONING REFORMS WHERE TOP OF THE AGENDA OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I'M REALLY HOPEFUL GIVEN THIS CONVERSATION AND OTHERS THAT IT WILL BE AS WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING AS I SAID IN MY OPENING, WE ARE LOSING BECAUSE OF THAT. THANK YOU, JESSE STERLING. I THINK ACTUALLY IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU CAN COME IN HERE. I MEAN I THINK THE FIRST PANEL TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE SMALL TIGHT LOTS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY WITH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT I KIND OF WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN DESIGN AND ORDER. AND YOU MENTIONED ALSO IN SOMERVILLE AND YOU CAN TOUCH ABOUT THAT FOR YOU SAID THE FOUR DAY YOU DID SOMETHING IMPORTANT. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? YEAH. SO WE YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY WE'RE FACTORY BASED SO WE FOCUS ON KIND OF WHAT CAN WE MAKE EFFICIENT IN THE FACTORY SO THAT THE SITE ITSELF CAN ALSO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE SO WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER, YOU KNOW, ENERGY EFFICIENT BOXES TO A SITE AND FOR OUR FIRST KIND OF TRIPLE DECKER SET IN SOMERVILLE IT TOOK US FOR FOUR AND A HALF DAYS TOTAL IF YOU'RE BEING TECHNICAL TO SET, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE THREE STOREY BUILDING, YOU KNOW AND THEN BEYOND THAT BECAUSE THE BOXES ARE COMING FROM THE FACTORY NEARLY COMPLETE IT REALLY REDUCES THAT THE CONTINUED TIME ON SITE FOR THE BUILDING RIGHT. WHICH I THINK CAN BE A REAL BENEFIT TO THE TO A LOT OF BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN ANTHONY, I JUST WANT TO SHOW THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE HERE BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU CAN PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT IN TERMS OF LIKE HAS HISTORICAL CONTEXT HERE AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT I MEAN HISTORICALLY WE'VE HEARD I HEAR IN BOSTON TRIPLE DECKERS THEY USE FACTORY BENEFIT AGAIN IN WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. DO YOU SEE THAT SAME THING HAPPENING NOW IN FLORIDA WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO LEGALIZE THOSE? YES. TODAY WE'RE SEEING LIKE I MENTIONED, IT'S KIND OF A BACK TO THE FUTURE MOMENT. THE TRIPLE DECKER WAS A RESPONSE TO THE OBVIOUS NEED FOR WORKER HOUSING WORKFORCE HOUSING AS WE WOULD CALL IT TODAY AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY IN A LOT OF CASES IN TERMS OF DEVELOPERS OF MULTIFAMILY HOUSING KIND OF THE GO TO MODEL IS SAY A 100 UNIT BUILDING OR EVEN A 200 UNIT BUILDING THE SO-CALLED FIVE OVER ONE. YOU KNOW THEY TEND TO BE BIG STRUCTURES BUT THERE IS SUCH A CLEAR OPENING FOR SOMETHING ON A SMALLER SCALE LIKE TRIPLE DECKERS OR A FOUR PLEX SIX UNIT BUILDING AS EVERYONE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT 12 UNIT BUILDING IF ONLY THE LAND USE REGULATIONS AND ZONING AND IN SOME CASES BUILDING CODES COULD COULD BE ADJUSTED TO ALLOW THEM. ONE STUDY FOUND EASILY 5000 PARCELS IN THAT IN THE BOSTON AREA THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE THIS KIND OF YOU KNOW, SO-CALLED GENTLE DENSITY SO I THINK WE'RE AT A SIMILAR MOMENT WHERE THIS KIND OF HOUSING, YOU KNOW, SHOULD SHOULD BE WELCOMED AND NOT FEARED. AWESOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM NOW I JUST I DON'T KNOW. BUT BEFORE COUNCIL TEN OH OH YEAH. SORRY. GO AHEAD. ARE YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL. I ACTUALLY HAVE A A BIT OF A CONTINUING SHIFT I THINK. JESSE, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE LEGALIZE IT AND YOU KNOW WE'RE BEHIND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO USE LEGALIZE AS A RIGHT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS. MY OPINION IS BOSTON WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING I'M CURIOUS WHETHER AND YOU STATED THAT THE WHICH I'M ALSO VERY SURPRISED THAT THE STATE HAS ALSO PROMULGATED REGULATIONS AROUND IT HAVE THEY DONE THE WORK OF AND I ASKED THIS A BIT ON THE PRIOR PANEL AND I'M SORRY YOU JUST SPOKE TO IT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MODELS BUT HAS THE STATE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR? HAVE THEY PROVIDED THEY PROVIDED REGULATIONS, THEY'VE MADE IT AS A RIGHT. HAVE THEY GONE THE ROUTE OF PROVIDING SORT OF LIKE MODELS OR A GUIDEBOOK OR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW IT COULD AND SHOULD HAPPEN RECOMMENDING CONTRACTORS LIKE WHAT WHAT ELSE HAS THE STATE DONE? I GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD SAY NO I CERTAINLY HAVING THE ADA GUIDEBOOK HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS A STEP BEYOND WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE ALTHOUGH THE STATE HAS TAKEN CARE OF THE UNDERLYING PLANNING RIGHT. LEGALLY I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW ABOUT SOME SORT OF ADU DESIGN COMPETITION TO ENCOURAGE DESIGNERS TO CREATE PLANS THAT WOULD BE SORT OF JUDGE THERE'D BE PRIZES. I THINK MORE TO COME ON THAT FROM THE GOVERNOR MOST LIKELY IN THE COMING MONTHS. I AM HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL GET INTO A SORT OF STATE LEVEL GUIDEBOOK OR SET OF PLANS THAT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH CAN ADOPT AS SORT OF PRE-APPROVED PLANS. BUT BUT THERE ISN'T YET ON THE STATE LEVEL TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MOST DIRECTLY. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND SO THE WORK THAT YOU DID IN SOMERVILLE WE WERE ASKED TO DO THAT BY SOMERVILLE WHO DID THEY HAVE TO USE AS OF RIGHT PRIOR TO THE STATE LEGALIZING USE AS A RIGHT WE SO WE'VE IN TRIPLE DECKERS IN SOMERVILLE WE DID AN IDEA IN ARLINGTON. OH OKAY. YEAH OKAY I ACTUALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT THE RULES WERE BEFORE. OKAY SO YOU DID AN OUT-OF-BOX TRIPLE DECKER IN SOMERVILLE. OKAY I OKAY THANK YOU. GOING BACK TO LIKE OUR OUR LENGTHY ZONING PROCESS, YOU KNOW TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AID USE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRIPLE DECKERS. MY A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED HOW A LOT OF ZONING ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNES OF COLOR WAS DONE TO RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS TO PREVENT BLACK FOLKS FROM BEING ABLE TO BUY HOMES IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS . AND SO THERE IS THAT SORT OF LIKE RACIST HISTORY TOWARDS ZONING. I'M WONDERING WHEN YOU ARE SORT OF BUILDING A COALITION AROUND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BUILD MORE AND TO DO MORE OF THE WORK OF ABUNDANCE, HOW ARE YOU DOING THE WORK OF COALITION BUILDING ACROSS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHERE SOMETIMES YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE IS YOU CAN SEE RESISTANCE ACROSS ALL TYPES RIGHT? LIKE I PURCHASED MY HOME AND NOW I'M A HOMEOWNER AND THEREFORE I WANT MY HOME, MY STREET TO BE A STREET FULL OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. HOW ARE YOU SORT OF USING THE HISTORY OF THAT AND COALITION BUILDING TO SORT OF HELP MAKE THE ARGUMENTS AROUND WHY HOUSING ABUNDANCE OR YOU KNOW, LEGALIZING TRIPLE DECKERS AS OF RIGHT OR TO USE IT IS A LITTLE BIT LESS SO WHY THAT'S THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD. YOU'RE ASKING ME THAT IT'S ACTUALLY OPEN ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ANSWER IT. YEAH AND I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME AT THE BEGINNING SO I THINK KNOW YOU HAVE TO A JR WE'VE MET MANY TIMES. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN. PLEASURE COUNCILOR JUST THE THING IS AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE ZONING REFORM THE ZONING REFORM HAS ACTUALLY BEEN PASSING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MANY PLACES SUCH AS SEATTLE, WASHINGTON CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE BOISE IDAHO MINNEAPOLIS, NEW YORK, FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA AND MANY OTHER PLACES HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT ZONING REFORMS IN REGARDS TO ADU AND I DO BELIEVE WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND KIND OF ADOPT IT TO US AND THEN EXPLAIN THAT TO OUR ACTUAL CONSTITUENTS OR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE. I'M BORN AND RAISED IN DORCHESTER, OKAY AND MOVED TO MATTAPAN. I LIVE IN HYDE PARK STILL THERE . I'M PROBABLY THE OLDEST PERSON IN THIS ROOM. YEAH, I'M 61 YEARS OLD AND I DON'T LOOK AT THAT. I AM I'M SORRY I THERE'S I'M SORRY I WANT TO LEAVE YOU YOU AND I BUT MY WHOLE POINT IS THIS IF I'VE WATCHED THE CITY OF BOSTON CHANGE I'VE WATCHED THE THREE FILMS WITH MY GRANDMA BUT IT'S FREE FILM FOR $12,000 ON MICHIGAN AVENUE WE STILL OWN THAT PROPERTY. I'M ONLY SAYING IT FOR THE FACT IS THAT I'VE WATCHED GENERATIONS GROW UP IN THAT HOUSE. I'VE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL PROPERTIES TO IMMIGRANT FAMILIES WHO ACTUALLY TOOK AND RAISED THEIR FAMILIES WITH INSIDE THOSE THREE FAMILIES AND THEN THEIR FAM THOSE FAMILIES WENT OUT AND BOUGHT OTHER PIECES OF PROPERTY. YEAH. SO WE GOT TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO GROW OUR ECONOMY AND GROW OUR CITY BY DOING THAT BECAUSE WITHOUT AN INCLUSIVE NESS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE EXCLUSIVENESS. I, I KNOW THAT THE TIME IS UP AND JUST TO ANSWER THAT I THINK YOU KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO HOW WE TALK ABOUT THIS IS IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE RECOGNIZING THAT YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THE CHARACTER OF OUR CITY AND OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS CREATED BY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN IT NOT THE BUILDINGS, NOT THE WAY WE STORE CARS BUT IT'S THE PEOPLE THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES FROM MATTAPAN TO WEST ROXBURY TO ORIENT HEIGHTS EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN ARE OUR SUFFERING BECAUSE OUR EXTREME SHORTAGE OF HOMES HAS LED TO CUTTHROAT COMPETITION FOR HOUSING AND THAT IS LEADING TO THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES RELY ON. OUR CHILD CARE WORKERS ARE OUR TEACHERS THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE US COFFEE YET AT DUNCAN'S IN THE MORNING MANY OF OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION THAT WILL ALLOW NOT JUST THOSE INCREDIBLY LARGE DOUBLE LOADED CORRIDOR STYLE BUILDINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN AND IN RECENT YEARS BUT WE NEED TO UNLOCK A VARIETY OF TYPES OF HOMES IN EVERY CORNER OF THE CITY AT ALL PRICE POINTS IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES BY ALLOWING BACKYARD COTTAGES, BASEMENT UNITS, TOWNHOMES, OTHER TYPES OF MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, WE CAN UNLOCK OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW SO THAT WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS OF BOSTON DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE WITH THE INCREDIBLY HIGH INCOME EARNERS THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM LIVING IN THE SEAPORT BUT WITHOUT THAT WOULD BE IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH YOU AND I FOR A TRIPLE DECKERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT'S GOING TO UNLOCK OPPORTUNITY UNLOCK THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER HOMEOWNERSHIP AND HELP BUILD UP ,YOU KNOW, CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND SO TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU KNOW, MENTIONED IT IN THE LAST PANEL THE FAMILIES CAN THOSE FAMILIES CAN THOSE KIDS CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THIS CITY UNDER THE WAY WE HAVE BUILT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS? AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO. SO THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO BUILD THE COALITION FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE I'M JUST GOING TO BUILD ON THAT FOR A SECOND. I WENT TO THIS AMAZING PANEL AT ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS COMPETITIVENESS AND I WAS SO SURPRISED THAT ONE OF THE TOP ISSUE OF HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES WERE WORKFORCE ISSUES WHICH THEY ATTRIBUTED TO OUR HOUSING CRISIS. SO WHAT I REALIZED IS I'M IN THIS ROOM OF CONSERVATIVES PROGRESSIVES DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS, VERY MIXED GROUP OF FOLKS. THEIR TOP ISSUE WAS MASSACHUSETTS COMPETITIVENESS. THAT WAS THE TOPIC OF THE PANEL AND THE THING THAT THEY ATTRIBUTED TO OUR LACK OF COMPETITIVENESS WAS HOUSING THAT TO ME IT'S LIKE IT MADE ME REALIZE BECAUSE SOME SO MANY TIMES WE TRIED TO PUT ALL THESE ISSUES INTO A YOU KNOW, VERY CLEAR CUT BOX OF THIS IS PROGRESSIVE, THIS IS CONSERVATIVE, THIS IS YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS. I WOULD SAY THAT THE TOP ISSUE FOR CONSERVATIVES AND PROGRESSIVES IN BOSTON IN OUR ECONOMY IS THE LACK OF HOUSING, THE LACK OF AFFORDABILITY AND IT'S TRICKLING DOWN TO HOSPITALS NOT BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS THE SAME WAY THEY CAN'T FIND JANITORS. THEY CAN'T FIND FOLKS TO WORK THE DOOR. THEY CAN'T FIND RECEPTIONIST SO IT'S LIKE I WAS SHOCKED AND SURPRISED THAT ONE ISSUE COULD SOLVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES. AND SO I THINK IT REALLY OPENS UP OUR MINDS SOMETIMES TO LIKE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND REALIZE THAT ON UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS THE TOOLS AND THE ABILITY AND IMPACT TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS ISSUE BY MAKING IT EASIER TO CREATE SUPPLY. AND SO I JUST THINK OF I REALLY WENT DOWN TO THINK ABOUT SORT OF ALL THE PROCESSES THAT WE'VE CREATED TO MAKE THIS HARDER AND IT'S JUST BEEN INTERESTING AS A DISTRICT COUNCILOR WE HAVE A UNIQUE POWER. WE'RE VERY IN THE WEEDS NOT JUST IN THE NOT JUST IN THE LOCAL YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IN THE LOCAL ZONING PROCESS BUT ALSO IN THESE BROADER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CITY. AND SO TO BE ABLE TO ZOOM IN AND ZOOM OUT ON OUR OWN PERSONAL IMPACT ON MAKING POTENTIALLY HOUSING HARDER LIKE THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME DECISIONS THAT I'VE HAD TO MAKE IN COMMUNICATION WITH NEIGHBORS THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN INCREDIBLY PROUD OF. IF I ZOOM OUT AND I THINK THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE REALLY WHAT HELP US SORT OF ZONE IN SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION TO THE PANEL YOU'RE ALL FOLKS WHO HAVE DEALT WITH THE COMMUNITY PROCESS AND SEEN SORT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE THERE. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CITY OF BOSTON COULD DO TO MAKE THOSE CONVERSATIONS MORE PRODUCTIVE AND IF THERE WAS LIKE ONE THING THAT YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND DO WHAT WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I WOULD REPLACE THE THREE FAMILIES THAT BURNT DOWN BACK IN THE SEVENTIES. IN THE EIGHTIES OKAY. YEAH. THEY WERE SITTING ON 3000 SQUARE FOOT LOTS BUT HOW CAN WE JUST DIDN'T REPLACE THOSE REPLACED THOSE WE WOULD THEN DIG INTO THIS HOUSING SHORTAGE? YES WE DID AN OVERLAY OF 5000 SQUARE FEET BUT WE SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT AND SAID THERE WAS AN EXISTING HOME THERE. WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT JUST AFTER 2024 DECIDED NOT TO DO THE SEWER HOOKUP. OKAY. TO CHARGE FOR THAT FOR THOSE VACANT LAND AT ONE POINT THEY DID AND THAT WAS FOR THE WATERSHED. MY POINT IS IF THEY WERE CHARGING THEN AND THEY KNEW THEY WERE VACANT LAND THEY HAD HOUSES ON THEM HOW COME WE DID NOT REPLACE THEM? AND THAT'S ABOUT YOU GUYS HAVING YOUR PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW ARE 3500 SQUARE FOOT LOT. YOU HAVE ABOUT 1793 LOTS THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS IN THEIR ACTUAL PORTFOLIO. THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ANYTHING THAT'S UNDER I MEAN GIVING ANYTHING UNDER THAT 35,000 SQUARE FEET OR MORE. YEAH SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE I WOULD DEFINITELY STRESS IS THE QUALITY OF THE HOMES THEMSELVES. I THINK THAT IN A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES LIVING IN TRIPLE DECKERS, WE DID A WHOLE SERIES OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS DURING COVID. WE USED TO HOST THESE TRIPLE DECKER THURSDAYS SORT OF LIKE SIT IN OFFICE HOURS AND FOLKS WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW BECAUSE THEY WERE BUILT SO LONG AGO THAT THE QUALITY OF THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN DETERIORATING. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT ABSENTEE LANDLORDS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE WE BUILDINGS. AND SO I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS THAT THE CITY HAS PUT INTO FOR REHABILITATING TRIPLE DECKERS EXISTING TRIPLE DECKERS AND THEN FOR ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION REALLY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CAN THERE BE WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION AND THE BENEFITS OF EVEN USING REALLY GREEN MATERIALS AND TALKING ABOUT THERE'S SO MANY FOLKS WHO ARE CLIMATE ORIENTED AND TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN LOWER OUR BUILDING EMISSIONS BY BUILDING MORE EFFICIENTLY AS WELL. AND THEN ON THE AFFORDABILITY SENSE, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVEN'T HEARD YET HERE TODAY IS THE SORT OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR FUTURE DECKER INITIATIVE WE WERE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SCATTERED SITE APPROACHES BECAUSE MAYBE BUILDING ONE TRIPLE DECKER MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST AFFORDABLE TRIPLE DECKER BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF SMALL PARCELS THEN YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO REALLY WORK WITH. I, I WOULD ADD AND I THINK MADAM CHAIR, YOUR QUESTION ALSO WAS ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE COMMUNITY PROCESS. I THINK THAT WE HAVE AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT THE COMMUNITY PROCESS ALTHOUGH IMPORTANT, IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF OF COMMUNITY VOICES AS YOU WERE SAYING THERE IS THERE'S ACTUAL ACADEMIC RESEARCH THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDERS RESEARCH OUT OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY BY KATHERINE EINSTEIN AND HER COLLEAGUES THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THE PEOPLE IN GREATER BOSTON IN METRO BOSTON WHO SHOW UP TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS ABOUT NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY WHITE OR WEALTHIER HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO NEW HOUSING THAN THEIR COMMUNITIES AT LARGE. SO WE NEED TO START BY RECOGNIZING THE COMMUNITY PROCESS IS NOT REPRESENTED LIVE. SO WHEN YOU GO TO A COMMUNITY MEETING AND YOU HEAR OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION THAT IS UNLIKELY TO ACTUALLY REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, I WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO ACT WELL LET ME FIRST SAY THAT I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF ATTEMPTS FOR NEW TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT PARTICULARLY SQUARES AND STREETS AND COUNCILOR PEP PENS DISTRICT OPEN HOUSES, SOME MY MAPPING SESSIONS THOSE ALSO WERE NOT INCREDIBLY REPRESENTATIVE DESPITE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS ALTHOUGH I THINK THEY GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE REPRESENTATION SO THAT TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY MEETING WHERE YOU SHOW UP YOU HEAR YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES DOES IT WORK? SOME NEW WAYS OF DOING IT CAN OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT MORE. I THINK POLLING IS A WAY THAT THE CITY SHOULD BEGIN TO UNDERTAKE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE IS THE POPULATION AT LARGE. AGAIN WE CONDUCTED A SCIENTIFICALLY VALID POLL WITH THE MASSING POLLING GROUP LOOKING AT 550 RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND WE FOUND THESE RESULTS THAT YOU KNOW, 81% OF RESIDENTS IN THE CITY WANT THE CITY TO SET A GOAL OF BUILDING 30,000 NEW HOMES. 80% OF THEM WANT ADU. SO IF YOU WENT TO ANY SINGLE COMMUNITY MEETING YOU WOULD UNLIKELY YOU'D BE UNLIKELY TO UNCOVER THIS TYPE OF RESULT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OTHER STATISTICALLY VALID WAYS CAN WE GET COMMUNITY INPUT RATHER THAN JUST REQUIRING SOMEONE TO SHOW UP IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM ON AN EVENING ONE TIME? THANK YOU. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT. I ACTUALLY HAD PROBABLY THE MOST EMBLEMATIC OFFICE HOURS OF THAT EFFECT WHERE I HAD A PERSON COME IN AND THEY BROUGHT IN A PICTURE OF A BUILDING THAT I HAD TO HELP SUPPORT AND THEY SAID THIS IS ATROCIOUS AND THEN MY NEXT MEETING WAS I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND SO IT WAS EMBLEMATIC BECAUSE IF I LOOKED AT THE SIX MEETINGS THAT I HAD THAT DAY SO LIKE SOME OF THE MEETINGS ARE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, OTHERS WERE ABOUT OPPOSING THINGS THAT I HAD SUPPORTED AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE REALLY HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE AS A CITY AND ABOUT DESIGN AND ESTHETICS AND BUT ALL IN ALL IT'S THE ACTUAL FOLKS THAT I TALK TO ON THE STREET ARE LOOKING FOR AFFORDABILITY. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAY HERE. THEY'RE HAVING TO QUESTION THAT EVERY DAY SO SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PÉPIN WHO'S OUR CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND JUST THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY TO SHARE YOUR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS OF HOW WE CAN GET TO MORE AFFORDABLE BOSTON AND BOSTON WHERE ZONING IS A LOT MORE STREAMLINED AND SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY HAPPY TO FALL SOMETIMES VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF. I, I MEAN I WAS THE COUNSELOR THAT DEALT WITH SCORES AND STREETS AS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED AND REALLY SINCE LITERALLY DAY ONE AFTER GETTING ELECTED IS PROBABLY THE ONE THING THAT I SPOKE ABOUT AND JUST LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO IMPROVE THAT ACROSS THE CITY. KEEP LOOKING AT MALVERN JUST BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS CURRENTLY LOOKED AT AS THE NEXT POTENTIAL SCORES OF STREETS REZONING EFFORT WHICH IS HIGH PARK AND CLEARY SQUARE TO BE SPECIFIC AND KNOWING THAT I GIVE KUDOS TO THE HIGH PARK NEIGHBORS WHERE THEY ARE BECOMING MORE ENGAGED WITH THE PROCESS AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOICES BEING HEARD AND I WANTED TO I WANTED TO ASK YOU FROM THE REALTOR PERSPECTIVE OF WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE NUMBERS OF IN TERMS OF PRICES FOR EITHER RENT OR HOMEOWNERSHIP, HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO BOSTON, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY UPDATED THEIR ZONING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION. WE ARE THE HIGHEST PRICE AS FAR AS SINGLE FAMILY MEDIAN PRICE. WE ARE ALSO ONE OF THE HIGHEST RENTAL PRICES AS WELL AND THAT'S ALL DUE TO THE FACT OF LACK OF HOUSING. IT'S CALLED A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE AND IF WE CAN FIX THAT ONE THING AS WE'RE TRYING TO DO TODAY AND HAD THAT CONVERSATION, I DO BELIEVE WE CAN DRIVE THE PRICES DOWN. WHAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS ALSO WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE HAD THE SILENT GENERATION. MATTER OF FACT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING MY FATHER HIS VETERAN'S CAREER AT THE POST THE OTHER DAY SO I APPRECIATE IT YOU MET HIM. BUT ANYWAY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY BECAUSE HE'S 91 YEARS OLD HE'S PART OF THE SILENT GENERATION. HE'S STILL LIVING IN A SINGLE FAMILY ELSE BY HIMSELF WHICH WE DO HAVE SERVICES THEY'RE HELPING HIM. BUT THE POINT IS THIS WE HAVE NOT BUILT FOR THEM FOR THEM TO MOVE. WE HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO KEEP THEM WITHINSIDE THEIR COMMUNITY. THE PROBLEM IS THIS IS THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO BUILD NOT FOR THEM WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. IF WE BUILD FOR THAT SILENT GENERATION IN THE BABY BOOMERS BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO AHEAD AND EXIT OUT AS WELL THEN IN TURN THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION GENERATION Z OKAY. AND ALSO THE IT'S ANOTHER ALPHABET MALCOLM ALPHA ALPHA AND TODAY THEY'RE COMING ALONG AS WELL AND THE POINT IS THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE ROOM FOR THEM. SO IF WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS KEEPING THE OLDER GENERATION ALIVE AND WE'RE NOT HELPING THEM TO WE HELP THEM WE CAN THEN HELP OUT SOME OF OUR HOUSING SUPPLY. NOW THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING AND I BELIEVE ONE OF THE PIECE TO IT THE THING IS WE HAVE A TRADE SCHOOL HERE IN BOSTON CALLED MADISON PARK. WE CAN CONTROL A FEW THINGS BUT WE IF WE CAN'T CONTROL THE ACTUAL COST OF MATERIAL BUT WE CAN CONTROL CONTROL HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR ANYTHING TO GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND SPEED THAT UP AND ALSO GET OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN THE TRADES WE CAN CONTROL TWO THINGS LABOR COST AND GETTING THROUGH THE PERMITTING AND WE CAN LOWER THE COST ON TOP OF IT SO YOU ASK HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN? WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT IT'S A MULTI-TIERED PRONG APPROACH. IT'S NOT ONE APPROACH AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT ALL TOGETHER AND KNOW ARE WE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME? NO WE'RE NOT. BUT WE CAN USE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND USE THEM AS EXAMPLES AND SEE HOW THEY'RE BUILDING AND DOING THEIR EIGHTH USE AND DOING THEIR THINGS AND HOW THEY'RE LOWERING THE PRICES OF HOMES AT THAT. SO AS A FOLLOW UP AND ASK YOU DO YOU SEE A CORRELATION OF PRICES DROPPING WITH UPDATED ZONING AND ENSURING THAT THERE IS MORE INCLUSIVE ZONING IN GENERAL? YES I DO. BUT THE THING IS IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SILVER BULLET. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TEN YEAR, MAYBE A 15 YEAR PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG TO GET THESE OLD ANTIQUATED ZONING LAWS WHICH HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE EARLY 1900S. I MEAN YOU THINK ABOUT IT WHEN THEY TURNED AROUND AND SAID WE COULDN'T BUILD A SECOND STORY BECAUSE OF A FIRE AND THAT REALLY WASN'T BECAUSE OF THAT. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS ARLINGTON IN THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO BUILD SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BUILD THE MULTIFAMILY THOSE MULTIFAMILY WERE BUILT FOR THE GENERATION COMING HOME FROM THE WAR AND SO I KNOW MY TIME IS COMING UP BUT I WANT TO I ALWAYS LIKE TO PIN THE LIGHT ON SOMETHING GOOD THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY MY DISTRICT IS WHAT I'M SEEING IS THE PRIDE KEEPS GETTING MENTIONED BECAUSE THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF OF HOUSING. WE'RE ABOUT TO DO A RIBBON CUTTING THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER AT 1201 RIVER STREET. I KNOW WELL WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE MUNI IN HIGH PARK AND THAT IS GOING TO BE IN ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ANYONE THAT'S 55 OR OLDER IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT IN ROSLYN THAT'S COMING DOWN THE LINE THAT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED YET BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 1471 WASHINGTON STREET WITH THE SAME MINDSET OF ALL AFFORDABLE SENIOR LIVING IN THE HEART OF A DISTRICT AND THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS ALLOWING THERE TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO DOWNSIZE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DOWNSIZE BECAUSE I'M HEARING IT THEY WANT TO DOWNSIZE FROM THEIR BIG SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND ALLOWING THEM TO OPEN UP THAT AT HOME TO A NEW GENERATION OF A FAMILY TO TAKE THAT HOME AND THEN FOR DOWNSIZE. BUT GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THAT'S THE PIPELINE THAT I SEE HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT I WANT TO SEE MORE EXAMPLES OF. AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I MEAN EVERY SINGLE PART OF OUR CONVERSATION IS IMPORTANT AND SO I'M JUST THANKFUL I CAN LOOK AT YOU JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE FROM HYDE PARK. BUT THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PEPEN. SO WE HAVE JOSH SEACOMBE, OUR FORMER DISTRICT COUNCILOR AND ALSO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING FORWARD. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE PANEL BUT I'M GOING TO LET HIM JUST READ HIS TESTIMONY BECAUSE I KNOW HE HAS A COUPLE OF THINGS HE HAS TO GET TO TODAY WE PAY RESPECT TO OUR FORMER COUNCILORS SO GO AHEAD COUNCILOR THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND JUST TO MAKE MY EXCUSE A LITTLE BETTER, I HAD TO STEP OUT TO TAKE A CALL IN SUPPORT OF AN ALL AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECT IN COUNCIL OR ELSE DISTRICT SO THAT'S THAT'S MY EXCUSE FOR BEING A LITTLE LATE HERE BUT THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME IS JOSH SACRUM. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING FOR MASSACHUSETTS AND A FORMER CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. WHEN I HELD THE DISTRICT EIGHT CITY COUNCIL SEAT I REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD THE CHAIR COUNCILOR SANTANA AND THE PAN AND THEIR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY FOR THE HEARING ON THIS BOLD ACTION ON LEGALIZING MULTIFAMILY HOUSING OF ANY KIND IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHICH IS LONG OVERDUE IN OUR WORK AT HOUSING FORWARD WHERE WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING DATA BACKED SOLUTIONS AND RESEARCH REGARDING THE HOUSING MARKET AND IMPACTS OF POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND LAWS ON THE PRODUCTION OF HOUSING OF ALL TYPES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH WE SEE OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT IT CAN BE TO LEGALIZE HOUSING TO MAKE IT AS OF RIGHT TO TAKE IT OUT OF A SUBJECTIVE DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL PROCESS THAT ADDS TIME AND COSTS AND TIME IS COST IN MANY SITUATIONS THAT IS ULTIMATELY LEADING TO A HOUSING SHORTAGE AND RISING PRICES AND RISING COSTS ACROSS BOSTON, ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AND QUITE FRANKLY THESE DAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MAKING A TRIPLE DECKER ILLEGAL ONCE AGAIN. AND I HEARD THERE WAS I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY IT WAS MADE ILLEGAL INITIALLY. IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY SO MUCH OF OUR ZONING REGULATION IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND CERTAINLY IN OUR SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES WAS BASED ON EXCLUSION, RACISM, CLASSISM ,XENOPHOBIA. NOW IN MANY WAYS THOSE IMPACTS ARE STILL APPARENT FROM THE ZONING EVEN IF THE INTENT IS NO LONGER THERE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO ELIMINATE THAT. AS I'VE SAID IN THIS CHAMBER BEFORE, I'M A BIT OF A HOUSING ABSOLUTIST. I THINK WE SHOULD BE MAKING IT HOUSING AS OF RIGHT ON YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT WE CAN WE NEED TO BE BUILDING MORE WE NEED TO BE MAKING IT EASIER AND LESS EXPENSIVE FOR BUILDERS WHETHER THEY ARE FOR PROFIT DEVELOPERS, NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MIDDLE INCOME MARKET RATE. SO MUCH IS NEEDED WHAT THIS COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION DID ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO IN ELIMINATING PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AFFORDABLE PROJECTS WAS A HUGE STEP FORWARD. IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS. LET'S DO SOMETHING ELSE. LET'S DO SOMETHING ELSE BIG IN THE ZONING CODE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD MORE HOUSING. YOU KNOW THAT'S I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. I CERTAINLY AM AVAILABLE TO ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE THE CITY COUNCIL OR ANY OTHERS TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT THIS BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING THE HIGH PRICE OF HOUSING THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE ZONING AND APPROVAL PROCESS. THE CITY HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER AND CAN TAKE REAL STEPS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. FORMER COUNCILOR ZEKE, ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE. SO NEXT WE ARE GOING TO GO TO COUNCILOR BREADON. YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AND BE PART OF THIS GREAT CONVERSATION. WAY BACK WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED MY MAIDEN SPEECH WAS ON THE NEED FOR FAMILY FAMILY FRIENDLY HOUSING AND THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE I THINK WE REFLECT UNEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S SO DISTRESSING TO SEE YOUNG FAMILIES LEAVE. THERE'S MANY FACTORS IN THIS BUT ONE BIG ONE IS THE COST OF HOUSING AND THE THE FACT THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN PARTICULAR IN BRIGHTON FAMILIES ARE COMPETING WITH GROUPS OF STUDENTS WHO CAN CLUMP TOGETHER AND PAY $5,000 A MONTH FOR A FRIEND FOR A UNIT. SO THAT'S REALLY A BIG ISSUE. AND TO YOUR POINT EARLIER A HOUSING SHORTAGE IT IS A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE AND THE THE HOUSING SHORTAGE ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZES SPECULATIVE INVESTMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. FOLKS WHO WANT TO BUY A FAMILY HOME HAVE TO COMPETE WITH A CASH BUYER WHO COMES IN WITH $1,000,000 IN CASH AND IN 2023 I THINK THAT 20% OF THE HOMES THAT WERE SOLD IN MASSACHUSETTS WERE BOUGHT BY PRIVATE EQUITY. SO IT'S A VERY UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD FOR ORDINARY FAMILIES, ORDINARY FOLKS TO BUY A HOME. SO AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS I'M A CITY COUNCILOR IS WE SAW HUGE LARGE SCALE MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON AND WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT FAMILY SIZE UNITS THIS IS WHERE WE WERE NOT PLANNING ON BUILDING THIS WE'RE NOT BUILDING THIS FOR OUR FAMILIES. WELL FIRST OF ALL THAT'S ILLEGAL BUT AND SECOND OF ALL THE THE THE LEVEL OF AFFORDABILITY AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON BACK THEN WAS 70% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME WHEN THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS 45 TO 55% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. SO THE HOUSING WASN'T BEING BUILT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE THERE. SO AGAIN I'M DELIGHTED TO REALLY GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS MISSING MIDDLE CONCEPT AND TO REALLY TRY AND SEE IF WE CAN BUILD MORE TWO AND THREE BED UNITS AND HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THAT LIKE QUALITY SCHOOLS, TRANSIT GROCERY STORES, ACCESS TO PHARMACIES. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL OF THIS. SO IN TERMS OF JUST SOMEONE RAISED THE QUESTION WELL WE HAVE TO BUILD LUXURY HOUSING SO THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO BUILD THE MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING. I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE BUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE FUND A MORE MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING LIKE I THINK THE TRANSFER TAX WAS AN OBVIOUS PLACE TO GET SOME MONEY BUT HAVE YOU ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN FINANCE THIS BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING THAT WE ALWAYS GET THROWN BACK IN OUR FACES. WE CAN'T MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK. ANY THOUGHTS I DON'T KNOW THE FEASIBILITY NECESSARILY OF OF OF NEW SUBSIDY IS JUST FOR MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING I THINK YOU KNOW WE AS A CITY HAVE INVESTED A LOT IN PURPOSE BUILD AFFORDABLE LOW INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING I THINK CERTAINLY ARE CONVERSATIONS TO BE HAD ABOUT DO WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES ON THE CITY OR THE STATE LEVEL TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMS. I'D BE HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHERE BOTH AS A CITY AND STATE FACING A DIFFICULT FISCAL PICTURE. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE ARE DISINCENTIVIZING THE CREATION OF MISSING MIDDLE AND FAMILY SIZE HOUSING IN THIS CITY BY HAVING SUCH A COMPLICATED ZONING AND PERMITTING APPROVAL PROCESS FOR NEW THAT CAN ADD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER UNIT TO THE COST OF BUILDING NEW HOMES AND SO THE DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE TO MAKE A CERTAIN PROFIT TO PAY BACK THEIR INVESTORS BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY A LOT OF HOUSING IS BUILT IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN. YOU KNOW THEY THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT INCOME AND SO WHEN THE COSTS ARE HIGH BECAUSE IT TAKES THEM A YEAR TO GET THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS OR THEY NEED TWO DOZEN VARIANCES JUST TO BUILD THEIR PROJECT, THEY'RE PASSING THOSE COSTS ON IN THE FORM OF HIGHER RENT OR HOMEOWNERSHIP PRICES TO THE FUTURE RENTERS OR BUYERS. THEY'RE ALSO MAKING CHOICES ABOUT THE PROJECT THAT THEY DESIGN TO DO SMALLER UNITS WITH FEWER BEDROOMS TO FIT MORE IN SO THEY CAN MAKE BACK THE COST OF PERMITTING FORMER COUNCILORS THEY CAN JUST MADE THE POINT THAT WHAT WAS THE POINT HE JUST MADE THAT I WAS REFERENCING? WELL I'VE LOST THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT ON THAT ONE BUT BUT ESSENTIALLY WE'RE INCENTIVIZING THROUGH THIS BROKEN PROCESS WE'RE ADDING COSTS AND MAKING THAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ADDED ON TO TO FUTURE COST. I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO DO THIS. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHY THE MODERN CONCEPT OF A TRIPLE DECKER IS SUCH AN ELEGANT CONCEPT IN SPACES AND PLACES WHERE IT WORKS NOT A LOT OF EXTRA HOUSING WITHOUT UNDUE EXTRA EXPENSE. MADAME CHAIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR BREADON AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE'S A COUPLE REALLY, REALLY BIG DEVELOPERS THAT OWN HOUSING OR OWN THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO BUILD HOUSING ON WHERE HOUSING IS FOR IT IS A FORBIDDEN USE. THIS PARTICULARLY IN COUNCILOR BRITTON'S DISTRICT ALONG WHERE LIKE ALL THE AUTOMOBILE LIKE SHOPS ALONG NORTH BEACON STREET ARE. SO THERE IS LIKE ACTUALLY PLACES WHERE IT'S A FORBIDDEN USE TO BUILD HOUSING AND BIG DEVELOPERS HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT THIS LAND KNOWING THAT THEY CAN CARRY THE COST BECAUSE THEY'RE A BIG DEVELOPER OF HAVING FORBIDDEN OWNING SOMETHING THAT IS A FORBIDDEN USE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BUILD ON COUNCILOR BRITTON'S QUESTIONING ME. WE ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZE LUXURY AND BIG BIGGER DEVELOPERS FROM DOING WORK BY HAVING WE ACTUALLY MADE AND THANKS TO KATHLEEN KNOWN TO HER FOR ALL OF HER WORK WITH US ON THIS BUT WE MADE HOUSING AND ALLOWED USE IN THE BATH AND TRIANGLE AND NOW WE HAVE THREE PROPOSALS CURRENT PROPOSALS TO DO HOUSING AFTER MAKING THAT SMALL SHIFT WITHIN THREE MONTHS. SO I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THAT CHANGE. THE BATH AND TRIANGLE IS ACROSS FROM TD GARDEN. IT'S A PRECINCT OF OUR DISTRICT THAT HAD BEEN KNOWN AS LIKE AN INDUSTRIAL AREA SO IN THE PAST HADN'T BEEN CONSIDERED HOUSING BUT ENDED UP IT'S IT'S BRICK EVERYTHING'S ABOUT 100 FEET TALL. IT WAS THE PERFECT PLACE FOR OFFICE FOR RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS AND FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE RISK. SO I ACTUALLY GOT A CALL IN THE MIDDLE FROM AN ANONYMOUS NOT NOT ANONYMOUS BUT IT WAS A FRIEND OF A FRIEND SAYING HEY, I HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BUY SOMETHING IN THE DOLPHIN TRIANGLE. WHEN'S THE ZONING AMENDMENT GOING THROUGH? BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO NOW THINK OF BUILDING HOUSING HERE WHERE WE HAD NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HOUSING IN THE DOLPHIN TRIANGLE AND NOW LITERALLY SIX MONTHS OF THIS ZONING CHANGE WHICH WAS A SMALL CHANGE I KNOW BUT THESE ARE THE TYPES OF SMALL CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. AND I LOOKED AT I YOU KNOW, I WENT TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I SAID WHAT IF WE MADE EVERYWHERE THAT WAS FORBIDDEN AS HOUSING CONDITIONAL AND EVERYWHERE THAT WAS CONDITIONAL ALLOWED AND THEY WERE LIKE YOU'RE MAKING IT FAR TOO SIMPLE BECAUSE THERE'S MARITIME USES, THERE'S INDUSTRIAL USES OBVIOUSLY. AND THEN I SAID OKAY WELL TELL ME WHERE WE CAN ALLOW HOUSING. SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE WITHOUT THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS PEOPLE THAT ARE SMALLER DEVELOPERS THAT AREN'T LIKE THESE HUGE COMPANIES THAT CAN LANDBANK THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE, THEY'RE BUYING FORBIDDEN USES AND MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY DON'T WANT TO AT THE COMPANY BUT YOU GUYS KNOW WHO THEY ARE . SO COUNCILOR MEJIA I WANT TO GIVE YOU 5 MINUTES. SORRY I HAD TO GO ON THAT ONE BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A PASSION PROJECT OF MINE AND CHAIR THANK YOU. CHAIR ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S LET'S DIVE IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. YOU KNOW THAT'S MY FAVORITE IN A MOMENT. I JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO TO YOU. YOUR DAD IS SUCH AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SENIOR MASS ACTION COUNCIL AND WHENEVER HE SHOWS UP IN ANY SPACE HE DEFINITELY COMMANDS IT SO I CAN SEE WHERE YOU GET IT FROM. THANK YOU. SO LET'S START OFF JUST REALLY QUICK GOING BACK TO I THINK IT WAS COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE HAD ASKED THE QUESTION AROUND, YOU KNOW, FINALLY BECOMING A HOMEOWNER LOOKING AT THE MAKEUP OF HER NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THERE FOR US TO UNPACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENTRIFICATION AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO STAY AND SO CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE IN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY IN WAYS THAT PEOPLE PARTICULARLY HISTORICALLY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WHO ARE THE FIRST TO HAVE TO PACK UP AND GO KIND OF LIKE HOW CAN WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND PROVIDE ASSURANCE TO THOSE FOLKS WHO WHO TEND TO BE THE ONES ON THE FRONT LINES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DISPLACED LIKE HOW WE HOW CAN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN FEAR OF THEIR OWN STABILITY? I HAVE SOMETHING AND I REMEMBER THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAD MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE STUDY OF THE TO USE IN THE WEST ROXBURY, BRIGHTON, ROSLINDALE SLASH HYDE PARK AREA. I ASK PLEASE DO NOT JUST DO IT IN THOSE AREAS. THOSE AREAS ARE ALREADY VERY EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW FOR ANYBODY REALLY TO MOVE IN. LET'S DO THIS STUDY WHERE IT'S INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF BOSTON BECAUSE WE NEED MATTAPAN AND ROXBURY TO GET THE SAME BOOST BECAUSE IT INSTILLS PROPERTIES . SO YOU'RE ASKING HOW DO WE DO IT? THAT'S ONE THING WE GOT TO STOP SEGREGATING AND INTEGRATING AND BRINGING THE SAME PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY. I UNDERSTAND YOU TRY AND GET SAMPLE SIZES BUT WE'VE ALREADY DID A SAMPLE SIZE MATTAPAN. WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO PUT IN THE TEST TUBE? THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANYONE ELSE? I'M JUST CURIOUS I MEAN YOU GUYS ARE DOING THIS WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN THESE STREETS SO I'M GOING TO ASSUME YOU HAVE A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UNPACK HERE. YEAH SURE. ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT FROM A DESIGN AND SORT OF ARCHITECTURE PERSPECTIVE SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO PEOPLE DIRECTLY ABOUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE DIRECTLY SHAPES HOW A BUILDING IS DESIGNED. I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WE NEED TO BUILD MORE FAMILY HOUSING AND I THINK THAT THERE'S EVEN NEW FORMS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE ALSO HERE AND THAT WANT TO STAY. I MEAN EVEN THE TRIPLE DECKER ITSELF HAS IT'S SORT OF HISTORICAL MODEL WAS AN INTERGENERATIONAL SORT OF BUILDING COMPONENT AND DIRECTLY TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GO FROM YOU KNOW, OWNING THE ENTIRE BUILDING, HAVING YOUR GRANDMOTHER ON THE FIRST FLOOR HAVE THAT BE AN ACCESSIBLE UNIT AND THEN HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEBODY WHO'S ON THE SECOND FLOOR MOVE UPWARDS. RIGHT. I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF THOSE LIKE DIRECT CHOICES THAT WOULD IMPACT HOW THE BUILDING ITSELF COMES ONLINE AND THEN FOLKS WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THEY HAVE A CHOICE IN WHAT OF HOUSING IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE I THINK THE REASON WHY WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING HOUSING SO MUCH IS SO THAT PEOPLE ALSO HAVE OPTIONS TO STAY SO THAT THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO ONLY ONE TYPOLOGY OR ONE FORM OF HOUSING THAT EXISTS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. GO AHEAD JESSIE. I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK PARTICULAR TO DO MY PART WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I PURCHASED A HOME AND MY MOM LIVES ON ONE SIDE AND MY BROTHER AND OUR KIDS LIVE ON THE OTHER. THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, STABILIZE OUR HOUSING INSECURITY WAS BY CREATING THIS INTERGENERATIONAL COLD PURCHASING SITUATION AND BEFORE COLD PURCHASING WAS EVEN A THING THAT'S WHAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STAY HERE BECAUSE OF THAT. SO YES, YES, YES. AND I THINK I ALLUDED TO THIS A LITTLE BIT IN ANSWERING COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE QUESTION BUT I THINK ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE YOU KNOW, CAN YOUR CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AFFORD TO STAY IN BOSTON OR ARE THEY LOOKING TO GO ELSEWHERE EITHER IN MASSACHUSETTS OR OUT OF STATE OR YOUR MELBOURNE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS HIS HIS FATHER IS CAN YOUR PARENTS WHO ARE MAYBE LIVING OR YOUR SENIORS IN YOUR FAMILY WHO ARE MAYBE LIVING SORT OF IN AN OVERSIZE HOUSE FOR THEIR NEEDS AT THIS STAGE IN LIFE ABLE TO FIND A PLACE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY CAN DOWNSIZE AND THE ANSWER TO MOST OF THOSE IS NO. I WOULD ALSO ADD ALL MEANS ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. AND SO WE NEED EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD TO PLAY A ROLE IN THIS SO WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK OR OTHER AREAS. WE ALSO NEED WEST ROXBURY AND MARSEILLE AND JP AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THE BACK BAY TO PLAY A ROLE IN THIS AS WELL. AND YOU KNOW I LOVE THAT RIGHT BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU INVOKING MY SPIRIT IN THIS CHAMBER BUT IT REALLY IS TO POINT HERE IS THAT EVERYBODY BENEFITS WHEN EVERYONE CAN STAY IN THE CITY THAT THEY LOVE AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE IS IF WE CAN STREAMLINE IT AND IT'S NOT DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS IS EVERYTHING ACROSS THE BOARD HAS TO BE EQUAL AND FAIR. AND I THINK THAT WE GET INTO THESE YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT IN BACK AND THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT NOT SOME RIGHTNESS. ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT MATTAPAN IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO STAY HERE SO IT HAS TO BE ACROSS THE PEOPLE ARE THE CHARACTER IT THAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY JESSIE MENTIONED SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES DENSITIES MAYBE GATEWAY CITIES PLACES LIKE LAWRENCE AND LOWELL AND SOMERVILLE THAT HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH THIS KIND OF INFILL BUILDING. I THINK THEY'VE ALSO ALONG WITH THE STATE HAD SOME SUCCESS IN CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE FINANCING, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TAX CREDITS AND YOU KNOW, COMBINING MUNICIPAL AND STATE INCENTIVES FOR THESE KINDS OF DEVELOPMENTS. AND I THINK THE CITY OF BOSTON COULD CERTAINLY USE ITS SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL CAPITAL UP ON BEACON HILL AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO FOSTER THIS ALONGSIDE YOUR PLANNING INNOVATION. SO I WANT TO BE ONE MORE THING ON FINANCING AND IN FHA ACTUALLY TURNS AROUND AND USES 75% OF THE RENTAL INCOME TO QUALIFY IT. WHEN YOU'RE BUYING IN 80 YOU A HOUSE GOING TO 80. SO IF YOU'RE BUYING A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE AS A TO YOU YOU CAN USE THAT TO BUY THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE WITH THAT 80 YOU NOW IF YOU GO TO THE TWO OR THREE CABLE GRIMM AND IT'S NOT EVEN BUILT FHA HAS A PIECE WHERE THEY'LL TAKE 50% OF THAT INCOME AND USE IT TO QUALIFY. SO THERE WE GO COUNCIL AND YOU ASK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS FINANCES THERE ARE SOME THINGS RIGHT THERE SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I WISH WE HAD A BETTER TRACK RECORD ON ON BEACON HILL THOUGH THOUGH THE STATE HOUSE IS IN MY DISTRICT I HAVE VERY LITTLE INFLUENCE ON WHAT PASSES THERE SO SO AND NEITHER DO WE AS A BODY I THINK MANY OF OUR HOME RULE PETITIONS HAVE BEEN SITTING SO IF ANYONE FROM THE STATE HOUSE IS LISTENING PLEASE LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE SENT UP TO YOU THIS YEAR. SO BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'LL GO INTO AN INFORMAL SESSION AND THERE IS DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF BOSTON INITIATIVE SO SO I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR WORK. I DO WANT TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES A CHANCE FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS VERY BRIEFLY BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO GET TO TESTIMONY. I DO WANT TO GIVE THE PANEL IF THERE'S ANY LAST WORDS. I THINK IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF SUMMARIZATION OF MAYBE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED TODAY OR WHAT YOU'D LIKE THE CITY OF BOSTON TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON, PLEASE LET US KNOW SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. I THINK ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS POLLING THAT WE DID BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT WE AS A CITY GOT A DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT DO PEOPLE RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY THINK ABOUT THIS? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN SOME PIECEMEAL APPROACHES WHETHER SQUARES AND STREETS WHERE AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WE ONLY HAVE ROSLINDALE VILLAGE ZONED AND YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND TRIPLE DECKERS AND THAT'S ADVANCING THE CONVERSATION WE KNOW THAT 78% OF BOSTON RESIDENTS WANT TO DO WHAT SARAH BROWN IN REPORT RECOMMEND DID IN HER REPORT ON THE ZONING CODE IN BOSTON WHICH IS COMPREHENSIVE CITYWIDE REFORM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS PLAYING A ROLE IN MEETING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS NOW INTO THE FUTURE. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS CONVERSATION THAT THAT THAT'S HELP ADVANCING THAT AND RECOGNIZING WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF BOSTON RESIDENTS ARE. THEY WANT COMPREHENSIVE ACTION. THEY WANT IT NOW. AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? TWO POINTS FROM A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION WAS CENTERED AROUND HOMEOWNERSHIP I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE WE SHOULD BUILD HOUSING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN OWN IT IF THEY WANT TO BUT WE SHOULD ALSO MAKE SURE RENTAL IS VIABLE AS A LONG TERM OPTION FOR THE DURATION OF SOMEONE'S LIFE. OWNING A HOME IS A LOT OF WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER LIKE I KNOW I GREW UP IN A VERY RURAL AREA AND WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS YOU DIDN'T HAVE WATER, IT WAS COLD AND THEN YOU GOT A BELL OUT THE BASEMENT BECAUSE IT'S FLOODING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, JUST RAINED A LOT. UM THAT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. A LOT OF WORK FOR OLD PEOPLE. UM, SO WE NEED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIVE IN PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY OVER THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL SOMEONE TO HELP THEM. AND ALSO I WANT TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PROCESS. A LOT OF TIMES WHAT I SEE IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY WORK IS THAT THEY'RE THE VOICES THAT COME TO PUT A BREAK. DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE ARE TYPICALLY USUALLY THE ONES THAT THE CITY TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY AND WHEN I COME I MEAN THEY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WHAT PEOPLE IN MY GROUP TAKE IT SERIOUSLY BUT WHEN WE SAY OH WE WANT MORE THEY'RE LIKE OH WE ALREADY THINK WE WANT MORE. YOU KNOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE CITIES DEVELOPMENT FOCUS THAT STEWARDSHIP OF THE CITY AND SO THEY TAKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING A BREAK OR WANT US TO CONSIDER THEY GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE CREDENCE AND I THINK WE HAVE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD A LITTLE BIT MORE AND ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING FOR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING WHEN WE WRITE A BUNCH OF LETTERS THAT SAY WE WANT THIS DEVELOPMENT TO GO THROUGH, I WANT TO YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SEE THE TALLY. I WANT TO SEE THAT THERE'S 30 LETTERS FOR ONE AGAINST AND IF YOU KNOW THE PLANNING BOARD OR YOU KNOW, ZEBA DENIES IT. WELL ARE THEY ACTUALLY LISTENING TO COMMUNITY PROCESS AND COMMUNITY INPUT OR ARE THEY REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, A VESSEL FOR THAT BREAK AND CHANGE THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD INSIGHTS. I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT TO BEING SUPPORTIVE OF GROWTH IN THE CITY. I THINK AND I JUST WANT TO I'M CHARGING IT BACK TO YOU. IT'S LIKE WHEN I'VE SUPPORTED TOUGH THINGS THERE'S BEEN ONE TO COME TO MY AID AND SAY OH I AGREE WITH YOU BUT I DO WANT TO THANK I HAVE ONE CONSTITUENT HERE WHO'S TESTIFYING WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO COME TO MY AID. HAYDEN THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO TESTIFY. I DO THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT ALSO ANY ADVOCACY ORGS KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO GET MORE ORGANIZED BECAUSE IT IT IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS TO SOMETIMES OUT ON YOUR OWN WHEN YOU ARE SOLVING THE CITY'S BIGGEST ISSUE. I'LL JUST CHARGE IT BACK TO YOU I'M SORRY THAT MIGHT BE ARE REALLY TOUGH YOU KNOW CRITIQUE BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS AND PEOPLE AND YOU'VE POLLED AND THEY THINK THIS IS GREAT LIKE WE SHOULD BE HEARING FROM MOST PEOPLE AND WE OFTEN DON'T SO MORE ORGANIZATION IS ALWAYS NECESSARY ON IN EVERY SINGLE SENSE. SO THE I THINK WE HAVE GOTTEN PRETTY ORGANIZED AND I HAVE SEEN ACTUALLY TALLIES OF COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE THERE ARE EQUAL SUPPORT AND OPPOSING COMMENTS AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD LIKE THE OPPOSITION IS THE ONE THAT IS LISTENED TO SO I THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY PROCESS, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHO IS SHOWING UP AND WHO YOU'RE LISTENING TO WHEN YOU'RE SAYING GET MORE ORGANIZED PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING PARENTS WHO LESS MONEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT SHOW UP TO THESE MEETINGS. SO WE TRY TO GET ORGANIZED BUT THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP SHOWING UP AGAIN AND AGAIN ARE THESE HOMEOWNERS WHO DON'T WANT TO SEE CHANGE AND HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE MEETINGS AND I JUST THINK THE COMMUNITY PROCESS AND FOCUSING ON THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT IT HAPPENS BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS PEOPLE OBSTRUCTING DEVELOPMENT WHO HAVE RESOURCE IS AND WANT TO KEEP THEIR RESOURCES. YEAH AND THANK YOU AND I DO THINK THAT MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I WAS REALLY NOT AN ACTIVE ORGANIZATION IN MY DISTRICT DOING THIS TYPE OF WORK. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN YOUR DISTRICTS ALSO I THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I HAVE NOTICED IN COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF PEOPLE LIKE CERTAIN LIKE CERTAIN TYPES OF ROOM SO THE TIMES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN ROOMS HOSTED BY THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR EACH OTHER LIKE THERE IS A MAP AND THERE'S A CHARRETTE AND CERTAIN TYPES OF FOLKS DON'T LIKE THOSE ROOMS WHERE OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOLKS THAT ARE MAYBE MORE OPEN TO CHANGE LOVE THAT TYPE OF FORMAT BECAUSE THEY GET TO EXPLORE. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A SILENCING IN THE COMMUNITY PROCESS WHERE WHEN ONE PERSON SPEAKS IT CAN SILENCE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I DO STILL THINK THERE'S WORK TO DO BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DONE IN YOUR IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL PLACES AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I MEAN THAT'S WHERE THIS SHOULD BE STARTED. IT SHOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSED THING. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO SO WANT TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES WHO SPONSOR THIS A CHANCE TO CLOSE OUT THIS MEETING SO COUNCILOR SANTANA AND THEN COUNCILOR PIPPEN, THANK YOU, CHAIR AS WELL. THANK YOU. THIS AMAZING PANEL. I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF YOU AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL PROVIDING THE INSIGHTS. WELL, THANK THE ADMINISTRATION EARLIER FOR THEIR PANEL. THEY ARE YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WE'VE ALL SAID IT WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A HOUSING CRISIS. I THINK EVENTUALLY IT WILL KEEP STARTING NEIGHBORHOODS. WHAT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOODS GREAT AND OUR CITY GREAT IS OUR PEOPLE AND THAT'S MY FOCUS MAKING SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE CAN STAY AND THRIVE HERE AND THAT CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE MY FOCUS. I THINK YOU KNOW, TRIPLE DECKERS AND 80 USE IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE BY ANY MEANS, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN BUT IT'S ABOUT CONTINUING TO ADD TO THE TOOLBOX AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO YOU KNOW, I THINK ACT WITH MORE URGENCY IN MATTERS LIKE THIS. I'M LOOKING TO THE PARKING MINIMUM HEARING THAT WE WILL HAVE I'M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE MAYBE. BUT YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO I'LL JUST CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN WHO WANT TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE HERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL DO AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNCILOR PFM, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND AGAIN THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AS WELL. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THINK THAT TOO I THINK A GENTLEMAN'S POINT HERE OF BACK TO THE FUTURE OF TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT USED TO HAPPEN AND WHAT WE DID WRONG AS A CITY AND HOW WE CAN LEARN FROM THOSE MISTAKES AND FROM OUR HISTORY AND MOVE TOWARDS A BRIGHTER DIRECTION OF ACTUALLY BUILDING MORE HOUSING FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO STAY IN BOSTON AND THOSE THAT WANT TO MOVE INTO BOSTON. I HAVE LEARNED ALSO THAT THESE TOPICS IT TAKES COURAGE. IT TAKES COURAGE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO REALLY TO TO LEAD ON THEM. I WAS I WAS VERY WORRIED TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN MY DISTRICT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE VOICES THAT WOULD COME TO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE NOT FULLY REPRESENTATIVE OF MY DISTRICT. AND WHEN I LEARNED THAT I GOT REELECTED DESPITE BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF THESE EFFORTS AND IT JUST GAVE ME A SENSE OF LIKE OKAY, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT HERE AND I DO WANT TO GIVE IN THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING. I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ROSSI FOR MORE RESIDENTS. ANDREW MURRAY STARTED THAT UP AND IT JUST SHOWED THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S A THERE'S A VOICE ON OTHER SIDE AS WELL AND TOO TO YOUR POINT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO THEY USUALLY CAN'T SHOW UP TO THE MEETINGS AND WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO TO HEAR THEM OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE TOO. SO I TAKE THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE I DO SEE THIS ALL I IF IT'S 80 USE OF A TRIPLE DECKERS IF IT'S MORE SENIOR HOUSING, IF IT'S REZONING DIFFERENT POCKETS LIKE THE MORTGAGE TRIANGLE THESE ARE ALL PART OF THE SOLUTION TO MAKE BOSTON MORE AFFORDABLE AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN TRULY SAY WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M PART OF THIS SOLUTION AS WELL. SO THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS. THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR HAVING THIS HERE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THE COMMUNITY THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNTS A RIBBON. I'M GOING TO LET COUNCILOR FROM HERE AS WELL GIVE A CLOSING STATEMENT. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO NOT REALLY HAVE A VOICE IN ANY SPACE BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED ARE THE LEAST HEARD FOR ALL OF THE REASONS WHY YOU NAMED AND I THINK THAT WE AS A CITY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT TAKING AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF WHO'S SHOWING UP AND WHERE DO THEY LIVE AND IF YOU HAVE TO SHOW ID TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE FROM THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD ,THEN YOU DO THAT TOO BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING IS IS THAT YOU'RE RIGHT THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE JUST STORMING INTO SPACES IN PLACE AND OCCUPYING THE VOICES OF FOLKS WHO WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. BEFORE BECOMING A HOMEOWNER I WAS A RENTER RIGHT? I THINK I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE A RENTER BECAUSE BEING HOUSING INSECURE IS TRAUMATIC AND SO EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A HOME THAT YOU OWN, YOU'RE STILL WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE. RIGHT. SO I THINK ALL OF THIS IS REALLY PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE IT SHOULD NOT BE ONE OR THE OTHER. IT SHOULD BE ALWAYS AND ALL MEANS ALL EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU ALL AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MANAGE THAT TENSION BUT WHO WE ARE WE SENSE HOW WE CENTER THE VOICES OF THOSE FOLKS I THINK IS GOING TO BE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING WITH THAT INTENTIONALITY AND MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY IS LITERALLY LEFT BEHIND. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE SPACE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR MEJIA. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PANEL . THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DID TODAY AND THE TIME THAT YOU SPENT WITH US. SO THE FIRST FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS FRED WATTS OR WALTZ. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S WALTER WATTS AND YOU CAN COME TO EITHER OF THESE EITHER OF THESE AND THEN I'M GOING TO START A TWO MINUTE TIMER AND WHEN IT GOES OFF YOU'RE FINISHED. OKAY, FRED, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, COUNSELORS. THANK YOU, PANELISTS. I'M FRED WATTS FROM DORCHESTER ,ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ADHD AND I SUPPORT BOTH REFORMS. MUCH OF BOSTON'S GREATNESS IS ITS PROSPERITY BUT PROSPERITY COMES AND GOES. THE CITIES THAT SURVIVE THE ROUGH YEARS ARE THE CITIES WITH ROOTS 80 USE AND TRIPLE DECKERS ARE THE NATURAL NESTS FOR THOSE TIGHT KNIT EXTENDED FAMILIES THAT ANCHOR A NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR CIVIC ANXIETIES ALWAYS RETURN TO CHILD CARE ELDER AND DISABLED CARE HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND PENSION SYSTEMS. IT IS NECESSARY AND GOOD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY NETS TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS. BUT NEIGHBORHOODS OF HIGH TRUST MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES CAN BEAR MUCH OF THAT BURDEN KEEPING PUBLIC PROGRAMS SOLVENT . I HAVE ADDITIONAL ARGUMENTS FOR 80 YOUTH SPECIFICALLY FIRST LIBERTY. IT'S A TENANT OF THE AMERICAN LEGAL TRADITION THAT WE MAY USE OUR PROPERTY AS WE WISH ABSENT OVERWHELMING STATE INTEREST INTERFERE EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE STATE AND NATIONALLY HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED CONCERNS THAT WOULD JUSTIFY INTERFERENCE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE HAVE WITNESSED IN BOSTON. FINALLY, PRAGMATISM IN EU CAUSES LESS OF THE DISRUPTION THAT PROVOKES CRITICS OF NEW DEVELOPMENT. 60 BASEMENT RENOVATIONS WON'T ATTRACT THE OF PROPOSING A TEN UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING IF THE CITY WANTS TO ADD HOUSING WITHOUT PROVIDING SINGULAR TARGETS FOR RESISTANCE TO UNITE AROUND THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANKS FOR YOUR BREVITY BUT IN BUT FOR CONCISENESS IT WAS GREAT. DYLAN KEATING COUNTING. HELLO I AM DYLAN COUNTING I LIVE IN BEACON HILL. YOU KNOW A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS BUILT BEFORE ZONING A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS ALLOWED TO GROW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS RESIDENTS IN ITS TIME. A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS FOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS FOUR STORIES FIVE STORIES, SIX STORIES SOMETIMES EVEN TALLER WITH NO SIDE SETBACKS AND A BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH BEAUTIFUL TREES THAT PEOPLE LOVE LIVING IN. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY BUT I'M ALSO HERE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO PUSH FORWARD AND PUSH FURTHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIVING IN A HISTORIC TIME IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR NATION. AND IF WE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MILD ZONING REFORM THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ONE YEAR, TWO YEARS, MAYBE EVEN 2 TO 3 YEARS TO IMPLEMENT THEN YOU KNOW, ARE WE REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF OUR TIME? AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS MOMENT IT DEMANDS CHANGE AND DEMANDS THAT WE BE BOLD. AND I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SO. THANK YOU. THANKS DALE. AND ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM A CONSTITUENT. HAYDEN SEAGER, ANOTHER CONSTITUENT. SO YOU CAN USE THIS ONE IN FRONT. YEAH. SORRY I MESSED UP MY FOOT SO SLOW. SO I THINK JESSE MENTIONED OH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M HAYDEN. I THINK JESSE MENTIONED THE REPRESENTATIVE STRUCTURE OF THESE MEETINGS IS USUALLY NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF PEOPLE BUT IT IS WHAT I'M TALKING SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVE I'M A RESIDENT OF BACK BAY BACK BAY CAN'T BE BUILT TODAY BECAUSE OF OUR OUR ZONING LAWS . THE PANELISTS THAT CAME UP HERE ,THEY SAID 99% OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY CANNOT BE BUILT AND PEOPLE THEN TALK ABOUT HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THESE BUILDINGS. YEAH. OKAY. I MEAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HISTORIC. WE CAN'T BUILD THESE PLACES ANYMORE SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE TO ME TO TO REFERENCE THAT IN GENERAL TO USE OUR. THERE ARE COMMUNITY THING. IT'S NOT LIKE SOME BIG DEVELOPER IS COMING IN TO PUT THIS ADU ON YOUR PROPERTY. THIS IS YOUR YOUR PARENT OR YOUR GRANDPARENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I KNOW THERE WAS A RECENT REELECTION CAMPAIGN WHERE YOU KNOW, CONGRATS TO THAT TO THE PEOPLE WHO GOT REELECTED. HOUSING WAS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE ON THIS CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN TRAIL. I ASSUME I DIDN'T RUN. I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LIKE A COAL REFINERY NEXT TO THE BOSTON COMMON AND THIS IS WHERE KIND OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSING REFER ZONING REFORMS CAME FROM. BUT THEN AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE A FREE MARKET THING IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD, YOU KNOW, SIX STOREY HIGH THINGS LIKE CAMBRIDGE DOES. YOU SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO AND HOPEFULLY I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE 70% OF PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH THIS OPINION. AS A LAST POINT I'LL SAY HOUSING IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM. 80 YEARS ARE NOT GOING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT IT'S IT'S A TOOL IN THE TOOLKIT THAT WE CAN USE. IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX IT OVERNIGHT BUT WE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING AND BY NOT DOING THINGS YOU'RE COMPLICIT IN THE CURRENT SITUATION. SO YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH HAYDEN, NICK BLOCK AND THEN ALVARO MORA, YOU'RE ALSO ON HERE. OH, HE'S GONE. OKAY. OKAY, PERFECT. ALVARO MORA AND THEN EVA STRAUSS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ANY ONLINE TESTIMONY I THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCILORS, CITY STAFF, EVERYBODY THAT WORKED HARD TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN TODAY. MY NAME IS ELVIRA MORA. I AM A BOSTON BORN RESIDENT, BORN AND RAISED HERE AND I AM THE GREATER BOSTON ORGANIZER FROM ABUNDANT HOUSING MASSACHUSETTS. I COME TODAY TO NOT RE-EMPHASIZE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FROM THE EXPERT PANEL FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND ALL THE ADVOCATES THAT HAVE COME WITH ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL. I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF MY OWN PERSONAL STORY HAVING GROWN UP IN A TRIPLE DECKER MYSELF, HAVING HAD AN 82 BUILT ON MY LOT AS WELL. I KIND OF HAD A FIRST VIEW EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THAT WAS LIKE FOR PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND A LOT OF JARGON, A LOT OF STEPS, A LOT OF VARIANCES, A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH APPOINTMENTS TO BE EN MASSE. I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE. MY PARENTS WERE NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PROPERTY WHEN THEY FIRST CAME HERE WHEN THEY IMMIGRATED FROM ECUADOR BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEEK AND FIND THAT GOAL OF HOMEOWNERSHIP THAT THEY HAD AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE THEIR OWN AMERICAN DREAM BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY THAT WAS ALLOWED HERE THAT ALLOWED MY PARENTS TO STAY. AND AFTER FIGHTING THE COVERT RACISM IMMIGRANT TO IMMIGRANT THEY WERE ABLE TO HAVE A DOWN PAYMENT ON THIS TRIPLE DECKER AND MAKE IT INTO A HOME WHICH I STILL RESIDE IN. IT'S FULLY MULTIGENERATIONAL. MY MOM LIVES ON THE FIRST FLOOR. MY AUNT LIVES ON THE THIRD AND MY BROTHER LIVES IN THAT ADU. SO THIS IS VERY DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME NOT JUST IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY BUT ALSO IN MY PERSONAL AS SOMEBODY HAS WHO HAS LIVED THROUGH THIS IN DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF WHAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT TODAY. I HOPE THAT WE TAKE THIS TIME TO TAKE THE CONVERSATIONS NOT DELAY. THE TIME IS NOW. THERE IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS NOW. WE NEED HOMES NOW, PLAIN AND SIMPLE CUTTING THE RED TAPE AND REGULATIONS FOR RESIDENTS HERE IS JUST COMMON SENSE. IT WILL GIVE US MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO STAY AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE BOSTON THRIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELVIRA. EVA STRAUSS RIVA. YEP. HI, I'M EVA. I'LL KEEP IT PRETTY SHORT. I SUPPORT BOTH OF THESE REFORMS. WE LIVE IN JP IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND WE REALLY HOPE IT CAN REMAIN AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. SO AND I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON TESTIFYING ONLINE SO IF WE COULD GO TO THEM. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND FELLOW COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS CRAIG MARTIN WITH THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I. I OWN AND LIVE IN THE THREE FAMILY IN HYDE PARK AND I'M A LITTLE TROUBLED BY FROM THE TESTIMONY I HEARD TODAY. FIRST I HEARD A COUNCILOR AND I DIDN'T JUST DIDN'T FIND OUT WHO WAS I HEARD A VOICE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A TIME TO ALLOW FOR UNREASONABLE CONSTRUCTION. AS OF RIGHT. UM. AND THEN I HEARD ONE OF THE PANELISTS ONE OF YOUR EXPERT PANEL IS SAYING TIME TO GET RID OF SETBACKS. THEY MAKE NO SENSE BUT TROUBLES ME. UM, ZONING EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEING PORTRAYED IS STRICTLY DESIGNED FOR EXCLUSIONARY ZONING. UM, IT WAS ACTUALLY EXCLUSIONARY LIVING. WHAT HAVE YOU SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR SAFETY AND TO ENSURE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE SAFETY BEING FOR INSTANCE FIRE RISKS. EVERY TIME I SEE A FIRE THAT DART IN DORCHESTER OR WHATEVER EAST BOSTON I'M ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE FIRE CHIEF TO COME ON AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TROUBLE, WE COULDN'T ACCESS BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS WERE SO CLOSE. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ZONING FOR SAFETY AND AND AGAIN QUALITY OF LIFE. SO IT TROUBLES ME THAT IT'S BEING PORTRAYED IS STRICTLY FOR INCLUSIONARY ZONING. IT'S NOT. UM UM, FINALLY I WANTED TO I WANT TO DO MENTION A CONCERN I HAVE THERE ARE RAMIFICATIONS WHEN YOU TRAIN A TRAIN REALLY LIMIT THE ZONING REGULATIONS COMPLETELY ALLOW FOR AS MANY TWOS FOR MORE UNITS ON A PARCEL IS THAT. AND THERE WAS A RECENTLY SEGMENT I PAID MIKE AT MY DIATRIBE A RECENT SEGMENT 60 MINUTES WHERE THE FEDERAL HEDGE FUNDS OR FEDERAL HEDGE FUNDS WERE COMING IN ALONG THE BIBLE BELT AND BUYING UP EVERY SINGLE FAMILY BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR OWN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES COME IN, DO SOME WORK AND THEN START RENTING IT SO NO ONE ELSE COULD ACTUALLY BUY AND PURCHASE THESE PEOPLE GRABBING THEM OVERNIGHT. BOSTON WITH THE HIGHEST RENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. THANK YOU. SOME OF THEM WITHIN THE CHOPPED VILLAGE IN THE CHOP TO COME IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS THAT THERE ARE RAMIFICATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO THAT WILL AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO AS I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS IN COMMITTEE. THIS IS AN THESE ARE BOTH INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVES. AND WITH THAT OUR HEARING ON DOCKET 1632 AND DOCKETS 1718 WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE